The rival fixture scenario Celtic have become well acclimatised too

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This week marks the return of top-flight action in Scotland, with Premiership clubs preparing to get underway after the winter break.

Ange Postecoglou’s side will have a busy period of games over the festive period, with five fixtures over the next 17 days.

First up for the Bhoys is a visit to Aberdeen before returning home to take on Livingston and St Johnstone. The year will be finished off with a trip to Hibernian and then facing Rangers at Ibrox on January 2nd.

Currently, the Hoops sit top of the Scottish Premiership, holding a nine-point lead over our Glasgow rivals, and Postecoglou will be keen to keep it that way.

There has been plenty of changes over at Ibrox, with former QPR boss Michael Beale replacing the outgoing Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Rangers get their return underway later on this evening, taking on Lee Johnston’s Hibernian.

This fixture starts a run of three games, in which the Ibrox side will be kicking off a day (or two for tonight’s game) before Celtic are in action.

Some may try and claim that this could put the pressure on Ange Postecoglou’s side, who will have to respond to whatever result is produced in this match.

However, that simply isn’t the case, and Celtic have become well acclimatised to these scenarios during the 57-year-old’s tenure at Parkhead.

Postecoglou’s side has shown how they will respond to results elsewhere by focusing on the matter at hand.

As the Celtic manager has made clear on several occasions, he and his team won’t be focussing on results elsewhere, with their mind set on what they can control.

Rangers will be aiming to keep pace with the Hoops by closing the gap to six points tonight. However, the pressure isn’t on Celtic to respond to that result, rather, it is arguably the Ibrox side who are the team under pressure as they look to avoid potentially falling further behind.

Celtic have been almost unstoppable this season, winning 14 out of their 15 Scottish Premiership games, slipping to just one defeat against St Mirren.

Whereas, Rangers have dropped points on several different occasions and now find themselves behind in the title race.

Postecoglou’s squad have shown how they react to this sort of pressure, which was on show during our run to win the title last campaign.

Even if Rangers managed to close the gap, Celtic quickly stretched clear again, and the Bhoys have showcased how they have acclimatised to this fixture scenario.

So, the pressure isn’t on Celtic to match or better any result Rangers produce tonight.

Instead, the pressure is on the Ibrox side to keep pace at the top of the Scottish Premiership and avoid potentially falling further behind if the Hoops pick up all three points at Pittodrie.

In other news, Celtic confirm Paradise broadcast option ahead of home return.