Celtic’s Easter Rising to Title Challenge starts at Dundee – Win at All Costs

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The Celtic Star

·5 avril 2026

Celtic’s Easter Rising to Title Challenge starts at Dundee – Win at All Costs

On Easter Sunday we sit third in the league, and we currently deserve to be there. If we finish first we will also deserve to be Champions, it’s now just a question of how much the current crop of Celtic players want it…

Referee Matthew MacDermid. Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

As we head to Dens Park later today to face Steven Pressley’s Dundee side in what is a must win match Celtic in a city we have drawn a blank in in the three previous visits this season losing twice to Dundee United and once to today’s opponents. Celtic has tried three different managers in contests in the City of Discovery and all three – Brendan Rodgers, Wilfried Nancy and Martin O’Neill have all come away empty handed.

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We currently occupy third spot, and even if results go our way today, third place is where we will remain, and we can’t have any complaints. We have been the authors of our own misfortune for quite some time dating back to the Scottish Cup Final last season agains Aberdeen which was thrown away by playing a goalkeeper nowhere near match fit.

Dundee manager Steven Pressley. Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

A win over Dundee, and a Hearts loss at Livingston defeat is the ideal scenario, even though it would keep the Rangers in top spot. But such an outcome would keep us firmly in contention for the title, especially with two home games pending against our title rivals. Even if Livingston can take a point that would be a decent result for us IF and only if we win at Dens Park.

We may be currently third in the pecking order, which is nowhere near good enough, but are still well in reach of top spot, a place we’ve been accustomed to for quite some time.

Kieran Tierney shoots wide. Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

It’s been said that whoever wins this year\s title will be the worst winners in living memory, but ultimately whoever finishes in top spot will have fully deserved it, no matter how poor the standard of competition. It’s probably an incorrect assessment anyway as clearly Hearts have improved considerably after a dreadful campaign last season saw them finish in the bottom six.

The Rangers too are better and there’s been a real improvement at Motherwell too. The big difference though is the decline in standards, subsequent turmoil and infighting at Celtic and that’s dragged the dominant force in Scottish football this century back into the pack.

Reo Hatate. Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

If we want to avoid being the ones considered the worst of the three title challengers, then we need to show greater character and willingness to battle through the many obstacles in front of us, and that will require not just playing to the best of our ability, but displaying great mental strength too.

We have the ability that’s not in question, even though we’ve rarely showed it this campaign, but the majority of our squad have proven that ability in the past as well as their capabilities in doing the business when the going gets tough.

In Martin O’Neill we have a experienced leader who knows how to get over the line, a true winner and that will prove ever so valuable as the pressure ramps up.

Dundee v Celtic. 19 October 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

We are third place because we deserve to be, if we want to be top of the tree come the end of the season, then we will also deserve to be there.

It’s just a question of how much the players want it and today they must show that at Dundee and leave the City of Discovery with the three points with just two further away games to follow and crucially four at Celtic Park with both Hearts and the Rangers among the visitors to Paradise.

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