Keane: No let-up in title race

Roy Keane has fired out a warning to the rest of the Bank of Scotland Premier League that Celtic have no intention of throwing away the title.

A stunning 8-1 win over Dunfermline gave Celtic a 13-point lead at the top of the SPL at the weekend.

And losing the championship on the final day of last season means they are unlikely to be complacent in their remaining 11 games.

But Keane admits he is desperate for Celtic to kill off the threat of Hearts, Rangers and Hibernian as soon as possible.

“You want to keep getting these wins under your belt because the games are going by,” he said.

“It makes it hard for the opposition because you can‘t beat the clock or the fixture list.

“We have to keep trying to get these wins because, before you know it, another week has gone and it‘s a game less for the other team to try to pounce on any mistakes.

“All we can do is try to drill it home that we are not easing up so the likes of Hearts, Hibs and Rangers will keep looking at you and thinking ‘they mean business.‘

“That‘s what we want to try to drive home, we don‘t still want to be hanging on with a couple of weeks ago.

“We want to try to increase the lead and not get complacent because that‘s the biggest danger.”

Keane has struck up a fruitful partnership with Neil Lennon in midfield in the last two games but the 34-year-old believes he has yet to hit top form since arriving at Parkhead.

He told the Celtic View: “I do feel as though there will be more to come, when I find a place and get settled and get into the swing of things, and also get to know different players‘ strengths.

“For me, I probably need seven or eight competitive games to get right back into the swing of things.”