Glasgow: Celtic midfielder Stuart Armstrong insists the Scottish champions will not slow up until the end of the season as they prepare to face St Johnstone on Friday.

The Hoops clinched the Premiership title on May 2 when Aberdeen's loss to Dundee United saw the Glasgow giants land their fourth championship in a row.

However, there was no let-up in the tempo from Ronny Deila's side last weekend as they underlined their superiority with a 1-0 win away to runners-up Aberdeen.

As the Hoops prepare to go to Perth, Armstrong says Celtic will remain focused on winning in their final two games.

‘It's a strange feeling because the league is won but we still have games left, we still need to train and I think the mentality is to keep focused and the intensity is still there in training and we want to finish with the maximum points we can,’ the Celtic midfielder said.

‘Being out and seeing the pitch at Celtic Park, you want to play on it all the time. It's a bit disappointing that there are only two games left but it has been a long season and it's a nice chance to get a few weeks off and look forward to the next one and start stronger there.

‘It's always difficult to go and play on St Johnstone's pitch. They're a compact team and they have threats themselves but we'll be up for it and as I say we have kept the intensity up and we're after maximum points so we'll be going there for all three.’

St Johnstone are in a fight with Dundee United to finish fourth, which will bring with it a Europa League place if Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who have secured third, also beat Falkirk in the Scottish Cup final at the end of the month.

United go to Inverness, while Motherwell, Ross County and Kilmarnock continue their bid to avoid having to go into a two-legged play-off to stay up.

- Rangers continue play-off bid –

In the second leg of the play-off quarter-final, Rangers are looking to see off Queen of the South at Ibrox on Sunday to take another step towards the top flight and set up a semi-final clash with Hibernian.

The Gers, who hold a 2-1 advantage from the first leg at Palmerston last weekend, could then face the team that finish 11th in the Premiership over two legs at the end of the month.

And Rangers manager Stuart McCall insists his side have the belief to return to the Premiership after three years working their way through the lower leagues.

‘Consistency is a big thing in football and that is what you have to strive for throughout a long season and now we have to strive for it over the next five games,’ McCall said.

‘It is all about believing in each other and believing in yourself and if you are feeling confident then you will go out and play better.

‘But if you look around the dressing room they have a belief in each other now and supporters, players and staff have to be in it together.

‘It was nice first and foremost to get the result on Saturday but also to do it in the manner that we did, after being pegged back to one each.

‘It showed the desire, the belief and the confidence in the group, as much as anything that they actually thought they could go and get a winner and credit to them they did that.

‘It is down to the players' belief in each other that they kept going and won it but we know this is only half-time and we'll look forward to Sunday.

Fixtures (1400 GMT unless otherwise stated)

Friday

St Johnstone v Celtic (1845 GMT)

Saturday

Dundee v Aberdeen, Inverness CT v Dundee United, Partick Thistle v Kilmarnock, Ross County v Hamilton, St Mirren v Motherwell

Premiership play-off quarter-final, second leg

Sunday

Rangers v Queen of the South (1430 GMT)

Rangers won first leg 2-1