Leigh Griffiths: Celtic will 'embrace' challenge of Steven Gerrard's Rangers
- Published
Leigh Griffiths scored the first of three Celtic goals in their win over Partick Thistle
Striker Leigh Griffiths says Celtic will "embrace the challenge" posed by Steven Gerrard's Rangers this season.
The Ibrox club have started the campaign strongly, reaching the Europa League play-offs and remaining unbeaten in nine competitive games under Gerrard.
Rangers were a distant third as Celtic clinched their sixth and seventh successive Premiership titles in the past two seasons, but Griffiths, 28, is prepared for a sterner test this term.
"We need to be on our toes," he said.
"They've started well, it's a long season and we'll embrace the challenge. We've got a great squad here and we look forward to it."
Back-to-back treble winners Celtic have endured a disappointing August, suffering elimination from the Champions League by AEK Athens and successive defeats for the first time under Brendan Rodgers.
Those poor results were compounded by the club's failure to secure a deal for Hibernian's John McGinn, who joined Aston Villa instead, fuelling Rodgers' frustrations at the club's lack of transfer activity.
But Griffiths, who scored his first goal of the season in Saturday's 3-1 Scottish League Cup last-16 win over Partick Thistle, says the squad has been unaffected by the transfers issue.
"We as players just need to focus on the job at hand," he told BBC Scotland.
"Whatever happens with signing players and such is up to the manager and those above us. We just need to keep focusing on winning football matches.
"People are always going to want big marquee signings, but that's up to the manager and the people above him."