PAT Stanton believes former club Celtic are challenging for the Treble this season thanks to Brendan Rodgers's success in the transfer market.

Rodgers only made a handful of signings after taking over from Ronny Deila in the summer - he brought in Moussa Dembele, Dorus de Vries, Cristian Gamboa, Scott Sinclair and Kolo Toure.

But Stanton, the Hibs legend who won the league and cup double after moving to Parkhead in 1976, reckons how his new boys have performed has been key.

“Celtic have picked up really well this season," he said. "I think what has been really important is the people he has brought in have done really well.

“The big centre forward Moussa Dembele is doing well and there are a few others as well. They’re all doing well, these boys. They have clicked.

“You’re not going to be right all the time with players. You see it down south, they spend millions on players who do nothing for them.

"So I think Celtic have been quite astute with their dealings in the transfer market. Dembele is only 21 and he looks good, and they have steadied up at the back."

Stanton, who played in defence and midfield, has also been impressed with how they have performed at the back during the 2016/17 campaign.

He added: “Sometimes they were a bit naïve before, but everything seems to have tightened up, the whole thing.”

Stanton, though, feels that Hibs, who won the William Hill Scottish Cup for the first time in 114 years when they beat Rangers 3-2 at Hampden in May last year, can still defend their trophy successfully.

"A cup’s a one-off, anything can happen on the day," he said. "The Hibs are improving, they really are. The whole thing’s improving.

"I think the most important thing for any team is to fancy your chances. If you go out expecting to get beat, you’ll get beat. It’s a simple as that.

"You get foreign teams coming here and winning, and winning well, and nobody’s told them you’re not supposed to do that. But they do it. They do it quite regular."

"Pat Stanton was speaking at a William Hill media event. William Hill is the proud sponsor of the Scottish Cup."