Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has claimed the Bhoys have forced the other sides to raise their standards in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.
The Scottish champions continue to remain in pole-position in the race for the league title in Scotland, despite their defeat to Rangers in the Glasgow derby clash.
Celtic, who have amassed the same number of points as Rangers, have a game in hand over their rivals and could open up a three-point lead at the top, should they win it.
However, the Hoops will know that there is no room for complacency, especially considering the amount of teams that are sniffing around for a slip-up from the league leaders at this point in time.
Apart from Rangers, both Kilmarnock and Aberdeen are also within close proximity of Celtic and the title race is expected to become more exciting than ever in the second half of the season.
Rodgers insisted he would have taken Celtic’s current position in the summer, but conceded they need to improve their form on the road after the winter break.
“I look at us. I look at how we came out of the summer and if you’d said to me we’d be top of the league with a game in hand having won the cup and qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League with what we had available, I’d have taken that”, Rodgers was quoted as saying by the Herald.
“Our home record has been brilliant in terms of matches played.
"Away from home, we’ve suffered a drip and that’s something I need to look at.
“It’s the reason we are doing what we are and why we are away; to find different solutions to one or two things away from home which haven’t happened to us in the past couple of years.”
Despite dominating Scottish football since his appointment, Rodgers admitted the league is more open and exciting at the moment and feels Celtic’s performances have led to other teams raising the bar.
“But you have to concentrate on the positive side”, he continued.
“The league is competitive.
"I’d like to think the standard we have set over the past couple of years has increased the standard of the other teams and qualities, which is absolutely brilliant for the league.
“It’s also a sign for us as a club that we need to keep improving and developing as a club as well.”
Celtic will return to league action in the Premiership when they face St Mirren at Parkhead on 23rd January.
