Erik Sviatchenko has insisted that the dream of going through the season as Invincibles is one that Celtic will keep at the back of their mind as they look to maintain their stranglehold on the domestic game.

The Parkhead side have dropped just two league points so far this season and came back from 2-0 down at Fir Park last weekend.

And Sviatchenko believes that having a lofty ambition can help Celtic get the best out of themselves.

“It is always nice to have a goal in some way,” said the defender. “Whether it is achievable or not, it is nice to say it out loud sometimes that it would be nice if it happened. Should we lose a game, which is obviously quite natural sometimes, then it is just about how we bounce back and how we move on.

“I think the Motherwell game made people think was the game we were going to lose, down two goals, but then again we kept working and kept working and then we will create chances because we know that our players are good enough.

“It would be nice if we got through the season unbeaten but it is a long season and there are a lot of games and probably there will be a game. But a defender you always hope to be unbeaten.”

The Hoops play Partrick Thistle tonight at Firhill and Sviatchenko is adamant that Celtic won’t be suffering from any after effects of their Champions League exertions.

“As a footballer you want to win every game,” he said.

“If you play the game against Partick Thistle and play bad, then it says something about a player if they can’t get themselves going for that game.

“This game can mean three points and being one step closer to something we want to achieve. I don’t think there will any problems. It’s just nice that people think we are the big ones.

“We just need to go into our games and do the very best. If we don’t, Motherwell showed that teams can be competitive. We need to build and do the same in the Scottish Premiership. We need to do the same things here as we do in the Champions League, nothing different.”

Stephen McManus claimed last weekend that they would be as well giving Celtic the title now, but Sviatchenko has maintained that the Parkhead side want to sustain the level of performance they have set for themselves, despite already holding an 8-point lead with three games in hand at the top of the table.

“It’s about being relentless and keeping going on,” he said. “If you want to go from good to great at some point then you have to do something extra. It’s about everyone doing something to be better than before.

“The good thing about this squad is that everyone wants to improve and be better, so we can be even more dominant.”