Scott Brown insists Celtic have to forget the impending Old Firm game to concentrate on getting their title challenge back on track.
Neil Lennon's side trail Rangers at the top of the SPL by two points and having played a game more. While the Hoops' trip to Ibrox on January 2 appears to be taking on more significance with regards the title battle, the Celtic skipper is looking first to the Boxing Day fixture against St Johnstone at Parkhead and then the visit of Motherwell.
"We were disappointed not to go top of the table the other night against Kilmarnock but we just have to take every game as it comes now," said Brown, who returned from a foot injury which had kept him out since October as a second-half substitute against the Ayrshire men.
"The Rangers game takes care of itself and anything can happen. The Old Firm games are always important and everyone looks forward to them.
"But we have a couple of games in between and hopefully we can pick up a few points there as well."
While Celtic fans are getting nervous about their side's form possibly helping Rangers to their third consecutive SPL title, Brown claimed the Parkhead squad is at its strongest since he signed from Hibernian in 2007.
"I think this squad is the best squad that I've been involved in," he said "We just haven't managed to see people off. We went two-nil up against Inverness and then lost a couple of slack goals.
"It was a disappointing result (against Kilmarnock) but never mind, there is still a long way to go in the season. It is not too much (of a concern), as long as we are playing well and creating chances then we will eventually gel.
"If you look at our squad now it's quite strong. If we go in to January with the same squad we have a good chance.
"Hopefully we can get a wee bit of luck ourselves and turn things around and hopefully I will get a few more minutes on the park. But the guys have been playing quite well recently so I will have to take my chance when I get it."
Source: PA
