Source: Team_Talk
Strachan: We're solely to blame
The champions took an eight-point lead over the Ibrox men at the top of the SPL table after a 2-2 draw with Dundee United on January 3 at Parkhead.
However, Strachan's side failed to press home that advantage and poor away form in the subsequent months allowed their advantage to slip.
While the Glasgow giants have swapped top spot since, the Light Blues found themselves two points clear and in pole position after Celtic drew a blank against Hibernian at Easter Road last week.
Consequently, Walter Smith's men need a win against Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday to guarantee them the title.
Hoops striker Georgios Samaras cranked up the tension by claiming Celtic were a better side than Rangers and that an Ibrox title victory would be undeserved.
But Strachan lays the blame for his side's precarious position at their own doorstep.
"Everyone knows what the situation is," he said. "We are two points behind, we are looking to win a game and we are looking for help from somewhere else.
"We have nobody to blame bar ourselves. We understand that and we get on with it.
"We would like to have done better, we would rather be a few points ahead but that's the way it is and we are not making any excuses.
"On Sunday, we have one more chance to rectify that and to give it our best shot.
"If we are successful, fair enough, but if we are not then we have had a good bash at it."
Disgruntled Celtic fans are waiting to vent their spleen in the event of losing the title to their great rivals
Strachan, however, believes it is far too early for recriminations.
He said: "We won't talk about that just now because then we would be talking about failings in my players and we never have hung anybody out to dry.
"We stay as a group, and what you do at the end of the season is sit down and analyse it, whether you win or lose. We did it when we won it.
"So we will look at what we could have done better and try and improve."
Irrespective of the season-long arguments surrounding the alleged poor quality of football in the SPL, another exciting finale is assured.
Strachan, though, refuted the notion that Celtic face an easier task than Rangers.
Hearts have already qualified for the Europa League while United need a point to make sure of their European place.
The former Coventry and Southampton boss, however, pointed to previous meetings with the Jambos this season.
He said: "Both sides we (Old Firm) will be playing against are good sides.
"If you look at Hearts, they have drawn with us twice this season.
"They have the manager of the year coming along. They are third in the league and you don't get there without pride and determination and they have got that.
"So I know it is going to be hard."
