IT is rare for a Celtic player to go into any game, let alone a match against their bitter rivals Rangers, feeling that the weight of expectation has lifted slightly from their shoulders. But according to Jonny Hayes, the scorer of the killer second in the 2-0 win at Ibrox, the hype around their opponents alleviated the pressure from the champions.

With the main focus on Rangers going into Sunday’s game, Hayes says that Celtic went into the clash with the confidence and self-assuredness of knowing that they were still the best team in Scotland, and a quiet determination to prove it.

“If anything, it was the least expectation on us going into the fixture in a long time,” Hayes said.

“Everybody fancied that Rangers were going to win 3-0 or 4-0. You dismiss it light heartedly.

“We know we are still the best team in the country, so you can’t really read too much into the opinions of other people.

“Everyone is entitled to them, right or wrong. All we can do is focus when we turn up.

“Where we disrespected? No, I wouldn’t say that. I think people were just trying to promote Rangers. They want to make out they're the best side. They have a very good side, but we are still the league winners.

“It wasn’t disrespectful. Maybe it was a case of people trying to make the game more exciting.

"People have jobs to do. We let others get on with their jobs. We just made sure we did ours.

“We turn up at every single fixture and have the same mentality to try and win the game.

“If we can do it with a bit of style, fair do’s, that’s great. If not and it’s a 1-0 or a 2-0 and we have to dig in, then fine.

“The manager, John (Kennedy) and Damien (Duff) have us well drilled and we are getting stronger, particularly at the back.

“We finished the fixture with four lads making their debuts in it. Big Chris (Jullien) and Boli (Bolingoli) were excellent at Ibrox and so was Hatem (Abd Elhamed). We’re getting more organised after the changes and our backline won us the game.

“The manager said we had set a mark and a stamp on the game early. Don’t give away any early goals or silly chances and we managed to do that.”

Hayes surprised himself as he got on the end of a swift Celtic counter-attack to score having been sent on by manager Neil Lennon to shore things up. But while he has scored more important goals in his career, he was delighted to remind people just what a threat he can be with his pace.

“It was a more a defensive substitution, really,” he said. Mikey (Johnston)’s legs were getting a bit tired and the manager asked me [to go on] as you know that one of Rangers’ main threats is their right back.

“So, it was a case of shoring up that side and helping Boli. But the way we played in the end, we ended up having some chances as Rangers were pushing on.

“It’s an emotionally-charged game. No getting away from that. To score the second one in injury-time, you don’t want to make any rash decisions, but it more of less seals the game and it gives you that little bit of relief.

“It was nice because it just sealed the win. I’ve scored ones that are more meaningful like in semi-finals and finals for Aberdeen, but that one just to seal three points after a game which had a big build up and seal the win going into the international break was really nice.”

The moments after he scored the goal are all a bit of a blur to Hayes, who ran towards the pocket of delirious Celtic supporters as they celebrated their first win at Ibrox in three visits to the ground.

“I’d seen my mate at half-time,” he said. “He was in the crowd and he was waving at me. He was saying to try and come over and I got anywhere near the pitch.

“His name is Thomas and I could see his hat sticking out when it was a bit quiet in the crowd at half-time.

“He’d been in the hotel in the morning of the game to collect his tickets and I thought I’d go towards him.

“I was just running towards the supporters seeing if I could see him, but there was a bit of a stramash. I couldn’t see anyone.”