When the international break ends reality kicks in at Tynecastle next Sunday as Celtic attempt to seal the title.
The last three performances haven’t been great but two wins and a draw could never be described as a crisis- especially at a club that is unbeaten domestically.
Tiredness could be an issue after pre-season matches started in late June but with an extensive back-room staff monitoring everything and a winter break in January the players should all be in good shape.
The final stretch of the season will determine how this term is remembered with the players having an opportunity to create history.
From 1969 through to 2001 no Celtic players celebrated a treble with only Martin O’Neill’s squad savouring that achievement.
Brendan Rodgers squad has the chance to do that and more of they complete the season unbeaten but they’ll need to rediscover top form if that is to become reality.
Winning the Scottish Cup is a big ask but every league game will be a cup final as opponents attempt to create history by stopping ‘The Invincibles’.
It’s a team game but the return to form of three key players will have a major influence on how the season is remembered.
MOUSSA DEMBELE
There’s an awful lot of responsibility on the shoulders of a 20-year-old, in normal circumstances a player that would be used sparingly.
After picking up a knee injury at home to St Johnstone he returned to top form with 11 goals between February 6 and March 1.
Even half that number of goals would be welcome during April, if he can notch a goal a game the hoops should enter the final month of the season with their goals still achievable.
KIERAN TIERNEY
Like Dembele an awful lot is expected from a teenager.
He returned from injury in January and picked up where he signed off without pausing for breath. His partnership with Scott Sinclair has rarely looked stronger.
Over the last two matches he’s not reached the heights that we’ve got used to, that extra edge seems to have been blunted.
A change of scenery on international duty and a title clincher at Tynecastle should work wonders, when it comes to Hampden on the 23rd he’ll recall the pain of a year earlier too strongly to allow a repeat.
SCOTT SINCLAIR
He’s a link between two key elements of the team- Kieran Tierney and Moussa Dembele. If Sinclair is off form both players suffer.
His absence earlier in the season saw the goals dry up for Dembele but he’s shown recently how devastating he is coming off the left wing and curling in great right footed shots.
A return to Tynecastle should bring back happy memories, after watching the Betfred Cup success from the sidelines he’ll be keener than ever to make sure that the Scottish Cup semi-final runs to script.