Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley says the Hoops squad won’t let complacency seep into their game despite their nine-point lead at the top of the table.

The Scottish champions are in the middle of a five-week break due to the World Cup and, when asked whether there is a danger of the team resting on their laurels when they return to action next month, O’Riley replied:

“No chance, it’s NOT going to happen. We lost to Sydney and we also probably didn’t play the way we wanted to either. So, I think the consistency and mentality has to be the same every game, regardless of it being a friendly. So when you transition into a league game, then you’re going to keep that form and momentum. We’re aware it’s a good position in the league to be in. We’re aware of the table. But at the same time, we’re not really looking at it. We’re just focusing on our own stuff every day.”

While there have been winter breaks in the past, having such a sizeable gap between fixtures is unprecedented and it will be interesting to see how teams adjust when the season resumes.

Celtic will face Aberdeen in their next competitive fixture on December 17th and, based on O’Riley’s remarks, it appears as though manager Ange Postecoglou has drilled it into the players that there is a long way to go this season. Fans will be hoping that they continue from where they left off in a few weeks’ time.