KENNY McLEAN has vowed that St Mirren will show no fear at Parkhead on Saturday when they face SPL champions Celtic.

The Buddies have lost their last two encounters with Neil Lennon's men by 5-0 margins and have conceded 12 goals without reply in their last three meetings with the Hoops.

But the Paisley club's outstanding young midfield talent believes that a four-game unbeaten run is proof that the Saints are ready to take the Bhoys on in the East End on Saturday.

And McLean says that his side will not compromise their expansive passing game. He said: "There is no way we can afford to go to Celtic Park with fear in our mind. Our style of play is all about expressing ourselves, and we are not going to compromise that just because we have Celtic in front of us.

"Obviously, they have given us a sore one already this season, when the game was pretty much over by half-time, but that one came when we were not on a particularly good run.

"We are now going into Saturday's game on the back of a four-game unbeaten run, and that is decent form.

"But what is most important for us is that we retain belief in our ability to play the type of football we produce best.

"So we will go to Parkhead and look to get the ball down and pass it and, if we can create the same type of chances we have in recent weeks, hopefully we can hurt Celtic."

The 20-year-old has been in outstanding form as with a career-best six goals from the Buddies' boiler-room.

McLean said: "Celtic are the best team in Scotland and have done the SPL proud by making it through to the knock-out stages of the Champions League and, as a player, you want to test yourself against the best.

"I am really looking forward to that challenge. But it is hard to say just who will be playing in the Celtic midfield.

"Obviously Scott Brown was outstanding for them at Kilmarnock, and Victor Wanyama has had a huge season, but there is no point worrying about who will be in midfield for them.

"The bottom line is whoever I am going to be up against will be quality, so it will be a case of concentrating on producing my best and hopefully that will match up well."

He said: "If we could take something from Celtic Park it would be huge. Obviously you look at Kilmarnock and Inverness, and they have both won at Parkhead this season, so that has got to give us hope.

"We know that every one of us has to be on top of our game and, hopefully, a few of the Celtic players dip and we see where that takes us."