Leigh Griffiths believes that Rangers are dreading heading to Celtic Park after the international week.

The Celtic striker has warned that the Ibrox side that the Hoops’ firepower has made them a force to be reckoned with – and he has insisted that the Gers will have clocked just how ruthless Brendan Rodgers’ side are when they are going forward.

So far the Parkhead side have netted ten league goals in three games, while they also hit five at home against Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the UEFA Champions League play-off as well as five against Motherwell in the BetFred League Cup.

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Kenny Miller warned a stuttering Gers side that they needed to get their act together before going into the game against Celtic on September 10th – and Griffiths has scented the weakness.

“There are 60,000 supporters looking forward to this one,” said the striker. “I don’t think Rangers will be looking forward to it, after the start they have made.

“They will be looking at us and looking at the way we start at home – if we get one in early then we could make it a very difficult afternoon for them.

“But in saying that it is a derby day and anything can happen so we need to be at our best and ready to go. We played probably our worst game of the season last year against Rangers and they scraped through against us on penalties. So that shows how tough we are to beat.

“They will come here and they will try to make it difficult for us but going forward we have players who can hurt them.”

Celtic’s schedule is a mouth-watering one over the next few weeks as they prepare for a double assault on domestic and European competition.

They will walk out of the game against Rangers to pack their bags for a trip to the Nou Camp just three days later and for Griffiths it is exactly the position he wants to be in.

The games will come hard on the heels of one another between now and Christmas for the Parkhead side and the 25-year-old is relishing every minute of the challenges that lie ahead against Barcelona, Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach.

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“These are the games you want to be involved in; the derbies, the Champions League games,” said Griffiths. “The only way to do is by playing well. Rangers will come here and they will look to make it difficult for us, but our target will be to pack our bags for the Nou Camp and Barcelona on the back of all three points.

“It is exciting times. I am loving it. I have had a good start to the season, I feel physically fit and strong and I just want as much game time as I can. The whole place is buzzing. It has been a perfect start to the season and we have reached the first target which was the Champions League – but we won’t be stopping there.

“There’s more to come from us, that’s for sure.”

The manner in which Celtic have started and finished games has brought goals, and Griffiths has warned that the Hoops are going into every game looking for the jugular.

At the minute it is all relative when consideration is given to who might end up being the Parkhead side’s biggest challengers as they look to retain their title and notch up a sixth successive Championship, but for Griffiths it is all about maintaining the momentum the club have built up in the opening weeks of the season.

“We are starting aggressively and going for it and at home now, with the crowds coming back, it is intimidating teams,” he said. “It takes teams back a bit and I think that is why we have been scoring early doors.

“I am just concentrating on the team. I will always want to score as many goals as I can but I think first and foremost it is about making sure we win so if I’m setting them up, I’m happy as well. I just want to be in there. We want to make this place a fortress and we want to go unbeaten at home all season.

“We are all itching to get onto the pitch. The games can’t come quick enough just now.”

Having firmly established himself as the main striker at Celtic Park, Griffiths’ next target is to do the same at international level.

Scotland embark on their World Cup qualifying campaign this weekend when the open with a game against Malta on Sunday night, an encounter in which Griffiths still hopes to play a part despite nursing a minor hamstring strain.

“That is the hope but you just never know what the manager is thinking,” said Griffiths. “All I can do is train hard and see how he wants to play.

“I feel ready to step up. Hopefully I am going to learn a lot from playing in the Champions League this season, a competition that is the highest level you can play at for your club.

“It has always been a target of mine to be able to go in and score at that level and if I can do it there then hopefully I can show then that I can also do it for Scotland. But obviously these are calls that the manager makes.

“My own concentration has to be on what I do in training and what I do on the pitch when I get the chance. Everything else after that looks after itself.”