Celtic's fast-flowing football and clinical finishing made headlines against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership last weekend, but there was one moment that got the crowd going with similar fervour.

After tracking his man half the length of the pitch, before then making a wholesome but fair challenge on the visitors' Kenneth Vargas, Callum McGregor brought the Paradise faithful to their feet with raptures of applause.

At the time, the hosts were defending a well-earned 2-0 lead and strove to enter the interval with it intact. Having been used less regularly of late following injury, the captain's commitment underscored the synergetic tone between the stands and the pitch that epitomised the afternoon in Glasgow's East End. McGregor believes this one big Hearts moment was a tone-setter. 

"That was probably a symbolic moment of where we have been," said McGregor. "We’ve needed to show a lot of resilience as a club this season, but I think we're in the best shape of the season so far.

"We have got pretty much everyone fit, players playing well, an almost settled structure in what we are trying to do and, when you come to the business end, that sharpens everyone’s focus as well.

"I think we are in a good place, but the only way to stay there is to continue to do the basics and work hard for each other and then when the games come along, you show everything you have got."

READ MORE: The reason Callum McGregor was never going to miss the title run-in

McGregor, his teammates and his manager, Brendan Rodgers, will all be keen to show everything they've got against Rangers come kick-off at 12.30pm at Celtic Park on Saturday afternoon.

With just three points separating the sides at present, this is easily the most important fourth and final derby encounter of recent times, with both sides still viable contenders for the Scottish Premiership title for 2023/24.

By mid-Saturday afternoon we'll know exactly how things lie, but until then you can check out our Celtic v Rangers predictions as delivered by our sports writers.