CALLUM MCGREGOR believes that not only are the Celtic players thriving under the pressure of the title race, but they are enjoying the challenge of bringing the Premiership trophy back to Celtic Park.

The Celtic captain has moved to reassure supporters that he and his teammates will not crack as they look to maintain their position at the top of the league standings heading into the last nine games of the season.

Ange Postecoglou’s men came in for criticism as they limped to a goalless draw against Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday, but Rangers failed to capitalise by drawing with Motherwell later that day, and Celtic kept their three-point lead in tact by getting back to winning ways against St Mirren on Wednesday night.

And McGregor says the way Celtic dug out that win against a stubborn Saints outfit proves they have the mettle for the challenges to come.

“This is what football’s about,” McGregor said. “That’s what you want. You want the challenge.

“Every single game there is pressure and you have to rise to the pressure, but that’s what it’s like playing at a big club.

“The boys are enjoying it as well. You can see it, even day to day in training. They’re up for it, they’re together, there is good camaraderie.

“Nights like [Wednesday] will stand us in good stead.”

Celtic will require all of that mental fortitude when they take on Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena on Sunday, a venue where they have failed to pick up maximum points in their last five visits, losing twice and drawing three times.

Their 1-0 loss in West Lothian in September was in fact their last defeat in domestic competition, while David Martindale’s men also managed a goalless draw at Celtic Park at the end of October.

“We have kind of struggled to pick up results [against them], especially away, so we just try to implement the game model that we want,” McGregor said.

“We will look at it over the next couple of days, anticipate what they will do and try to come up with a gameplan to beat that.”