CALLUM McGregor is Celtic’s best player. Discuss.

It would be difficult to mount a counter-argument, even if Scott Brown has deservedly been named the PFA Scotland Player of the Year and will most likely make it a double when those of us who skulk around press boxes for a living cast our votes.

There is also Kieran Tierney, of course. The first ever to be named Young Player of the Year three times in a row and Tom Rogic, despite never finishing a game, who is a joy to watch, as has been James Forrest this season.

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However, at this moment in time, there really is no-one better than Callum McGregor.

Philip Lahm. That’s who Brendan Rodgers compared his player to. He’s not that good, few are, but what a season this wonderful footballer is enjoying. And to think Gordon Strachan did not think this lad good enough to be a Scotland player, which is why he is no longer in a job.

On Sunday, McGregor was the best player on the park. Even in the dying moments, with the game done and league won, he was chasing lost causes, winning tackles and making things happen. He has ten goals from 49 games, and who knows how many assists, and at 24 has a lot to come.

In fact, he wasn’t even feeling that great before the Rangers game, which makes you wonder what he would have done if his fettle had been fine.

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“I was struggling with the cold before and it takes it right out you in a game like that but these are the matches you want to play in and the days you live for as a footballer,” said McGregor.

“There was no way I was going to pull out of a day like that because these are the games you want to play in - especially to go and finish the league off. There must have been a wee bug going about because a few of the boys were struggling with the cold, like Kieran and Tom.

“I’m not sure what we would have done if we were all fully fit but it was important, after the disappointment of last week when I felt we were waiting on it a wee bit, but credit to Hibs for showing up and they outworked us.”

McGregor is the epitome of Brendan Rodgers’s Celtic in that nothing is ever too good, not when there are more mountains to climb.

And as for the perfect ten; this lad might be able to play that position on the park but he’s not interested in chicken counting.

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“We’ve done great so far but if you look at 10-in-a-row then you can get complacent and slip up,” said McGregor. “You can’t look too far ahead.

“Last week was a prime example when everyone thought we’d turn up and win the league but if you’re not quite at it then you see what happens.

“It’s about the players staying as hungry as they can and coming back in for pre-season to go again and try and get that 10 but we know exactly how hard it is.

“We seem to get better every year with the demands the manager puts on us but we’ve got to keep working. Our strength has always been the squad and you can see boys on the bench who are top talents and that drives the standard up.”

The standard is already pretty high. Celtic on Sunday were ridiculously better than Rangers. For sure, those wearing blue were atrocious; however, what can’t be ignored is that the green and white chaps played some scintillating stuff.

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There has been some daft talk of a wisp of disappointment that five goals did not become at least seven. But, come on, winning a derby by such a margin to clinch the title, a seventh in a row, is not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

“When we got to 5-0 you don’t want to let up in the game but credit to Rangers for putting on another striker and getting back into the game a wee bit but it was comfortable in the end,” said McGregor who wasn’t being patronising. Probably.

“It was about concentration. We knew exactly how big the game was and the emotion on the day but we knew if we did the basics right and outworked them and got on top of them then we’d win the match.

“We finished the league in style at Tynecastle last season and we knew exactly what was riding on this game for the supporters and ourselves and it was a big performance to mark a special day.

“I was delighted to get another goal.I’m starting to get a bit of a record against them and when you’ve done well against any particular team you feel confident going into the next one.

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“When you put in big performances it gives you the confident to grow and get even better and it’s another step on the ladder and I need to keep working hard and get even better.”

And what of Rangers and Steven Gerrard who may or may not be their next manager?

“You don’t listen to any noise coming from anywhere else and that’s why we’ve been so good and so successful because we are focused on our job.

“The manager has been relentless since he came in and all the players have taken their performance levels to another level and he puts on demands every day - there’s no lazy days.

“Everyone can always get better and that’s the aim. The manager is always on our case.”