Scott Sinclair has insisted that there has been no question mark over his performances this season – since his stats are better this term than they were at this stage last year.

The English winger netted a brace at Easter Road yesterday afternoon to take his tally to 14 for the campaign to date - four better than where he was this time a year ago.

“I have been doubled up upon,” said Sinclair. “Players around me are always going to try that much harder and I have had two or three players around me.

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“But if you are judging me on stats then I have scored 14 goals this season already. At a similar stage last season I think I was on 10.

“So I have to be pleased with that.

“It is not always easy. Every game is hard because everyone wants to beat us and to stop the run.”

Sinclair admitted, however, that the manner in which Celtic allowed a 2-0 lead to unravel at Easter Road yesterday afternoon means that the Hoops players left the capital feeling as though they had lost the game.

“We controlled the game and were so comfortable,” said Sinclair. “We had so many chances that we should have put away so it did feel like we threw the game away.

“The main thing is that we don’t dwell on it. We have to draw a line under it pretty quickly because we have another game on Wednesday and we want to go into that one in a positive frame of mind.

“It is good for us that we were able to keep the run going but there was definitely some frustration on our part because we felt that we could and should have taken all three points. “

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Sinclair was heavily criticised a few weeks back when he won a penalty against Motherwell in the Betfred League Cup final.

And he believes he could have had another yesterday after he was tugged back by Steven Whittaker while the scoreline was still 0-0.

Referee John Beaton told Sinclair after yesterday’s game that he did well to stay on his feet, prompting perhaps another discussion about whether or not these calls ought to be given regardless of whether a player goes down or not.

“The ref actually said to me, ‘well done for staying on your feet’” said Sinclair. “If I can get a shot off, I’ll always stay on my feet. That’s how it went.

“I wasn’t thinking about it. [the cup final incident]. I forget all about the last few games and was just concentrating on today.

“I managed to get my shot off, and that was that.”

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Meanwhile, Sinclair believes that having the Europa League to focus on after the winter break will give Celtic a lift, with the Parkhead side discovering their fate in the lunchtime draw today.

“It definitely gives us something to look forward to,” he said. “European football is always great to have. It really gives something else to your season and it will be a good focus for us.”