RONNY DEILA has no plans to rest any stars against Partick Thistle tomorrow - after admitting he made that costly mistake earlier this season.

So even though Celtic thrashed the Jags 6-0 in a League Cup tie back in October - when John Guidetti scored his first hat-trick for the club - the Hoops manager won't be taking any chances for the Premiership clash.

"There is no danger of this," Deila said. "We have taken chances before - and it did not go well. So we will do everything we can to win the game against Partick this week, and again on Saturday when we go to Motherwell, to keep on going the way we have been in the league."

The clash with Thistle gives Celtic the opportunity to open up a points gap at the top of the Premiership for the first time since Deila became boss.

This fixture was postponed by the Hoops on the first day of the league season to allow them to focus on trying to qualify for the Champions League.

Two weeks later Celtic rested their full first team for the trip to Inverness in between their two qualifiers against Maribor - and tumbled to a 1-0 defeat.

Deila remains desperate to have another go at the Champions League, and the sooner his side book the single qualification place for next season, the happier he will be.

But he acknowledges that, with six games in 25 days this month, his squad is going to be fully tested.

The Hoops are currently without two of their first picks, Mikael Lustig and Charlie Mulgrew.

The defender pulled a hamstring while playing for Sweden three weeks ago while Mulgrew suffered a heavy knock in last week's Europa League loss to Red Bull Salzburg.

Both were absent at the weekend when Celtic crushed Hearts to set up a Scottish Cup fifth-round tie against Dundee at Dens Park on February 7 or 8.

But Deila revealed he hopes to have both players available sooner than was initially feared.

He said: "I don't know how long Charlie will be out. His ribs are bruised and you never know with these things. We'll have to wait and see what is happening with him.

"Wth Mikael, he is not so far away. Maybe in one or two weeks he will be back."

Nir Bitton stepped in to replace Mulgrew as Scott Brown's midfield partner at Tynecastle, his first start for Celtic since they drew at home to Motherwell on September 21.

He has made three appearances for Israel since then but Deila revealed that Bitton is now back in contention for a starting place with the Hoops after a positive response to talks they had about what was required to become more involved at the club.

"I've spoken to Nir a lot recently and he's taken a step up," Deila said. "That is why he got his chance to play at Tynecastle."