What a difference three months can make!
The last time Celtic played Hibs in the SPL the fans trooped home dejected after a 0-0 home draw just three days after taking the Edinburgh side apart in the League Cup.
Earlier in the day Rangers had beaten Aberdeen 2-1 at Pittodrie to follow up their 2-0 win at Hearts the previous week to stretch the gap over Neil Lennon’s side.
Fourteen SPL wins later Celtic are in the driving seat with the crisis signs firmly switched across the city to Rangers.
That stalemate with Hibs at the end of October was the last time that Celtic dropped a point with even the most optimistic of supporters fearing for the future with away days at Motherwell and Inverness following a Europa League tie with Rennes.
Remarkably Celtic won all three matches with the Europa League playing a key part in the revival of a squad that looked close to being demoralised.
From wherever he found it Lennon has inspired an incredible revival at Celtic. It’s doubtful if there has ever been such a marked turnaround in the fortunes of the team in mid-season.
Since the turn of the year every day has been like Christmas for the fans as an improbable championship becomes more likely with every passing week.
On Sunday Celtic face Hibs again with the trip to the capital eagery anticipated by the travelling support who have given the players incredible backing through even the most questioning time.
Pat Fenlon has yet to face Celtic since taking over from Colin Calderwood but knows exactly what to expect from Sunday’s visitors.
“They have been playing really well, the run they have been on, going from week-to-week without any blips, has been incredible,” the Hibs boss said.
“For any club to be winning so many matches consecutively is an amazing achievement.
“Now they will have to set their own goals, trying to break records that have been set previously, the number of games won, going through the rest of the season unbeaten, winning the treble. They’ll be talking about all of those things.”
Having came through so much on and off the park in his 100 games in charge of Celtic Lennon won’t allow his players to let their focus slip.
Last night assistant manager Johan Mjallby told Celtic tv: “If you play for Celtic you want to win trophies, you’ll always be judged by the trophies that you win. It’s good that we have a lot of competition because the players can’t slack off, there will be someone else waiting for their chance.
“We haven’t won anything yet that’s why it’s so important for us to keep on going, to break records and become new heroes for the club.”
Three points on Sunday will go a long way to creating those new heroes as the return of the SPL trophy draws ever closer.
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