Strachan looking forward

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan insists he will not spend time dwelling on his side's recent slump in form.

Despite reaching the last 16 of the Champions League for the second season in a row, the Hoops have taken only six points from their last five SPL games to put a dent in their hopes of retaining their title.

Second-placed Rangers moved to within two points of their rivals after their 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday and Walter Smith's men have two games in hand against the SPL's two bottom sides Gretna and St Mirren.

"There is no Richter Scale for how difficult things are at the moment," said Strachan. "And we can't do anything about what has happened in the past.

"I can't go back two and a half years and say 'that was a good day, that was a bad day'. I just look forward and we are looking forward to the next game at Dundee United.

"There are a lot of individuals feeling good about themselves at the moment.

"We have the two top goalscorers in the league, (Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink), we have Aiden McGeady on fire, Scott Brown was the man of the match on Saturday. So we are not too bad."

Dundee United defender Sean Dillon is hoping the Tannadice side can bounce back from their second defeat of the season to bottom side Gretna.

He said: "It doesn't matter who you are playing after you have been beaten or put in a performance you are not happy with.

"All you want is a game as quickly as possible and thankfully we have been given that chance on Wednesday.

"We can now try to put things right following the defeat to Gretna."

Falkirk manager John Hughes is hoping his side make up for their early-season defeat by Inverness when they take on the Highlanders again on Boxing Day.

The 4-2 defeat at the Caledonian Stadium in September still rankles with the Bairns boss.

Hughes is hoping his side build further on their 3-0 win over Motherwell at the weekend.

He said: "Inverness are absolutely flying, it's all credit to them.

"One of our biggest disappointments was when we went up there earlier in the season and lost 4-2.

"We just about got back into it, but if I'm honest I just felt there wasn't something right in the dressing room that day.

"I don't know what it was. If it was the first time we had stayed over, or if the chemistry wasn't right.

"But it was no excuse. Inverness thoroughly deserved to beat us, so we're looking to put that right.

"We're more than capable of beating them on our own patch - like anybody who comes to the Falkirk Stadium."

Gretna have warned the rest of the teams in the SPL that they are not accepting relegation as inevitable.

After their second win of the season against Dundee United on Saturday, the gap at the bottom of the table between Gretna and 11th-placed St Mirren has now been narrowed to seven points.

Gretna play Aberdeen at Fir Park on Boxing Day and, according to chief executive Graeme Muir, they can cut it even further in the new year.

Muir said: "Be assured, we have not given up on this SPL (season).

"If we were to be only six points behind in January, which I think we might be given the ongoing development of the club, I wouldn't write us off."