STEVEN FLETCHER has little doubt Celtic players and fans alike celebrated as they watched Hibs dent Rangers' hopes of wrestling the SPL title away from their arch-rivals.
But, while the goalless draw at Easter Road ensured Gordon Strachan's side emerged from the weekend with a seven-point advantage, one which was narrowed to four as Rangers defeated Motherwell in midweek, Fletcher insisted Celtic shouldn't look on Sun
day's events as a favour having been delivered.
For, with Hibs heading to Celtic Park on Sunday, Fletcher warned that he and his team-mates are determined to produce a repeat performance as they seek to keep their own aspirations of a place in next season's UEFA Cup alive.
While admitting Mixu Paatelainen's team could well have stoked up trouble for themselves by giving Celtic further hope of retaining a title which only a few weeks ago looked like slipping from their grasp, Fletcher believes you need only look at Hibs' record against the Old Firm this season for proof that the outcome of this weekend's match is far from the foregone conclusion those in Glasgow might think.
The Scotland striker said: "I suppose in a way we'll have helped fire Celtic up even more – if that is possible – by stopping Rangers winning. I'm sure Celtic would have been delighted with that result, it's certainly helped ensure the title race will, it seems, go all the way.
"But, to be honest, I don't really care which team wins the title. I'm only concerned about what happens at Hibs and we have our own target of wanting to finish third and take that last UEFA Cup place, so we're not worried about what anyone else does.
"It's to Celtic's credit that they've done so well recently to really open up the title race again when it looked as if it was slipping away from them. We know it is tough going to Celtic Park at any time, never mind when the title itself is at stake.
"However, we beat Celtic at Easter Road earlier in the season and drew at Celtic Park back in December when no-one really fancied us to do anything.
"We've also beaten Rangers at Ibrox and now drawn with them in Edinburgh, so we don't fear playing either side of the Old Firm home or away. We know that, on our day, we are capable of beating any team in this league as we have already shown this season."
Like Celtic, Hibs have found fresh legs in the race for their own particular prize, with even Paatelainen admitting he thought third place was beyond his team when he took over in January following his predecessor John Collin's shock resignation.
Then Hibs, having briefly topped the pile when David Murphy scored that winner at Ibrox at the beginning of October, had fallen alarmingly to eighth place with even a top six finish apparently outwith their grasp.
Since then, however, the big Finn has worked a remarkable transformation with Hibs refusing to concede third spot to Motherwell, who remain in pole position with a point advantage over both the Edinburgh club and Dundee United. Although, following Wednesday night's defeat by Rangers they now only have one game in hand.
Fletcher and his team-mates are well aware Motherwell face a tricky trip to Easter Road on the final day of this extended season and are determined to test the Steelmen's mettle with a winner-takes-all encounter on May 22.
Hibs do, of course, have the comfort of knowing they'll be looking out their passports no matter what happens, with the club having taken the precaution of putting its name forward for the InterToto Cup. The Easter Road outfit already know they'll be heading to either the Faroe Islands or Sweden if that proves to be the case, but Fletcher insisted that their sights are set a touch higher.
He said: "We know we'll be going into the InterToto Cup if we don't get third but we aren't thinking about that at the moment. We want to get third. Matters may be out of our hands to an extent but we are focusing on ourselves. We are aiming to take as many points as possible from these last two games and then see where we end up. But we still believe we can take third."
Hibs will be strengthened with the return of striker Colin Nish, influential midfield star Guillaume Beuzelin and defender Thierry Gathuessi after they missed the Rangers clash through suspension, while centre-half Chris Hogg has a chance of a first appearance since damaging knee ligaments against St Mirren at the start of last month.
Add in the fact Brian Kerr and Alan O'Brien, who played a cameo role as a late substitute against Rangers, were on the bench last weekend after long-term injuries and it is clear boss Paatelainen will have many more options to consider than this time last week, although Moroccan playmaker Merouane Zemmama's broken foot has ensured a premature end to his season.
Fletcher, however, insisted his manager faces a headache after the performances turned in against Rangers by 20-year-olds Kevin McCann, in his first appearance after a 13-match absence, Ross Campbell, in his first start of the season, and Ross Chisholm, who has found it difficult to hold down a regular midfield berth.
Fletcher, who only turned 21 himself a couple of months ago, said: "People maybe thought we looked a bit understrength for the Rangers game given the number of players who were missing. But we have got bags of young talent at this club just desperate to play.
"Kevin and the two Rosses have had to be patient but they all came in against Rangers and were superb.
"Kevin was rock-solid at the back as our defence hardly gave Rangers a sniff of goal, Ross Chisholm is a wee terrier in the middle of the park, always snapping away at ankles – I don't think Barry Ferguson appreciates his presence any time he has played against him – and Ross Campbell's work-rate throughout the match was phenomenal.
"It's good to have virtually a full squad available again. The gaffer's got some thinking to do when he chooses the team but, whoever plays, we'll be going to Glasgow in a positive frame of mind, determined to do our best and, if we play to our capabilities, then we'll be quietly confident of getting something.
"If that does any damage to Celtic's title hopes then, as last week against Rangers, that's none of our concern. We are only looking out for ourselves."
The full article contains 1112 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
