Ronny Deila has insisted that Celtic have the necessary mental strength to cope with the threat that is quietly looming from Pittodrie.

Dons boss Derek McInnes claimed for the first time in an interview last week that he believes his Aberdeen side are capable of winning the title this term – words that were backed up by the necessary result when they hosted Kilmarnock immediately after Celtic had re-opened their four point lead at the top with their win over Partick Thistle.

Celtic have a game in hand but the one point of a gap between the two underlines the peril that lies in wait should there be further slips. With only 9 games remaining on league duty this season, Celtic need to eradicate the mistakes that have dogged them throughout this campaign.

In the aftermath of Celtic’s failure to make it into the group stages of the UEFA Champions League earlier this season, Deila used words such as “stressed” and “scared” as his side buckled under the pressure of trying to make it into the Europe’s premier competition.

But the Hoops boss believes that the mental fortitude as well as the experience in his squad will ensure that there is no similar capitulation in the run-in for the Championship.

“This is a strong squad,” said Deila. “We are strong physically and mentally. You have to be at a club this size. We have been more or less consistent in the league this season and I think there is a winning mentality here.

“The players know that. They know that they have to do. It doesn’t matter so much about Aberdeen. It is about what we do now. There are nine games for us to go and everything is in our own hands.

“There is always pressure when you play for Celtic. But you have to enjoy that and respond to that and this is a group of players who have been doing that for a long time.

“They know what it takes to win.”

Celtic were better than they have been of late on Saturday afternoon, but the jitters were quick to rise to the fore for the last six minutes of an encounter than ought to have been put to bed long before that stage.

It has been a recurring problem for Celtic throughout the season and was evident in the crunch European games that set the tone for this season.

Yet, there were signs of a more spirited performance at Firhill and that in itself is something that has been badly missing from Celtic at times this season.

“It was better,” said Deila. “We had more energy, more chances. We are always working. The players I have here are winners. They know what it takes now.”

Celtic have a lunch-time kick-off now with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park up this weekend before games against Hearts, Dundee and Motherwell before the William Hill Scottish Cup tie against Rangers at Hampden.

It is a critical month bit Deila remains confident that his side can come through the other side.

“The aim is always to win every game,” said the Hoops boss. “It is always our goal to win. But it has to be game by game now. We have to give our full focus to the league and to each individual game.

“We know what teams can do but we have to push to make sure that we are giving our best.

“There is a big prize for us all. Winning another title, a fifth title, is a big motivation for everyone.”

And Deila has maintained that he will not allow his players to be distracted by the forthcoming drama that will surround the build-up to the clash against Rangers.

If Celtic are to go into that game on the back of a month in which they established further daylight at the top of the table and have garnered a degree of momentum, they will be overwhelming favourites for the tie.

And Deila is adamant that there will be no thought given to that game until the week before.

“I do not want to say much more about it now,” he said. “I have given my thoughts on the game and it is one we will all look forward to.

“But our focus is on the league. That is so important. That is where right now we have to concentrate. There is too much football to be played before we can think about that game. We have a big prize to focus on right now and we want to be sure that everything is given to the league.

“It is big games now for us. We can’t be thinking about anything else.”

There are also no forthcoming contract talks on the horizon with anyone at the club as Deila looks to keep all eyes on the title.

Charlie Mulgrew is out of contract this summer, James Forrest has turned down a new deal with Celtic and Tom Rogic has also been linked with a move south.

“All of that is on the back of our minds,” said Deila. “It is more important just now that we are thinking only of the title. The other things have to wait just now because this is the most important thing for everyone at the club.”