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{ Celtic's Scott Brown and Beram Kayal engage with El Hadji Diouf of Rangers
Midfielder Beram Kayal insists Celtic are not favourites to win the Scottish Premier League this year, despite moving eight points clear of Rangers.

After Celtic's 3-0 Old Firm win, Kayal said on Monday: "We're not favourites. We must win every game because Celtic is a big club. I like it like that.

"All the focus for everyone here is to try to play better in every game.

"I am very happy because yesterday we won but the next game on Sunday is not against Rangers."

Kayal has become a fans' favourite with his combative nature allied to his range of passing and positional sense.

His manager, Neil Lennon, has also recently highlighted the former Maccabi Haifa star's workrate.

The player says he enjoyed appearing in Celtic's 3-0 win over Rangers and credits Lennon for forging an impressive team spirit.

"All of Europe speaks about this derby," he said of the Old Firm match.

"It was my dream to play in this game and I am happy because I played in it."

And of the team manager, Kayal said: "He makes us all feel special, and we all try 100% for him.

"At the beginning of the season the majority were new players. A great credit must go to the manager for putting us all together and make us feel we have been playing together for years.

"Every day, every game, everyone here wants to play better and we try every game to continue (the form) this month because last month everyone played very well."

Kayal is suspended for Celtic's match on Sunday at Motherwell but in the meantime he will try to recover from a hamstring strain, which he predicted would heal in the next three or four days.

The Israeli was out of action earlier in the season with a groin injury and is delighted to get back playing in front of the club's fans.

He said: "It's fantastic to come back after two months out injured. It's a new country and the fans give me the drive and energy all the time.

The manager told us to enjoy it and, basically, win. He didn't want anything less and we showed that
Gary Hooper reflects on Celtic's 3-0 Old Firm win

For Gary Hooper, who scored twice in the first half in Sunday's win and was described by Kayal as "fantastic", self-belief is the key behind the team's run of 17 games unbeaten.

Rangers emerged with a 3-1 win at Celtic Park in October but their old rivals won at Ibrox at New Year, before the teams drew 2-2 at the same ground in the Scottish Cup.

With the Cup game producing a replay, and the teams' meeting at Hampden in the final of the Co-operative Insurance Cup on 20 March, it means the Old Firm will play seven times this season and Celtic will enjoy the greater confidence going into their next contest.

Asked what had changed since the home defeat by Rangers in the autumn, Hooper said: "We showed with this performance that our mental strength is really good, we are performing well and everybody is comfortable on the ball.

"Maybe we are just more confident. Not much has changed so maybe we just believe in ourselves more now.

"We are performing well and we have shown that for the last few months."

Like Kayal, Hooper refuses to write off Celtic's title rivals' chances, with Rangers second and Hearts in third, 10 points behind.

"I'm not focused on the trophy," said the striker.

"The main thing was to win the game and to carry on winning games and see what happens. There is confidence everywhere.

"We are not thinking about the championship, we are just focusing on the three points.

"We are eight points clear now and if we just keep on winning, we can put more pressure on them.

"The manager told us to enjoy it and, basically, win. He didn't want anything less and we showed that."

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Labels: Celtic, dismisses, Kayal, title