Tony Mowbray is hoping lightning does not strike twice when he takes his side to Rugby Park for Saturday's Active Nation Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against Kilmarnock.
The Hoops suffered arguably their biggest blow of the season last month in Ayrshire when they lost 1-0 in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League in what was Robbie Keane's debut following his loan-signing from Tottenham.
Celtic's title challenge lost momentum with that unexpected defeat and they have now slipped 13 points behind SPL leaders Rangers with the championship now a forlorn hope.
The Parkhead boss, though, is looking for better luck in the cup.
"The defeat against Kilmarnock was a day when we didn't take our opportunities and paid for it," Mowbray said.
"If those opportunities come along this weekend hopefully we will take some of them and have a good day.
"If we do then great. We will be one step closer to a cup final but Kilmarnock are a decent side and will make life very difficult for us."
Nevertheless Mowbray tried to play down the importance of the Scottish Cup to the club this season.
He said: "The club tries to finish every season with a trophy - it's no more important or less important this year.
"Every season we try and win every competition we are in and every year we try and win the Scottish Cup, it is big part of the club's history.
"We strive to win every football match. That's the aim.
"There are 10 games still go in the league and we will keep fighting on that front and try and win them all.
"But this cup game at Kilmarnock is not more or less important than it always has been at this club."
The Celtic manager claims he is not affected by the pressure which he believes is currently surrounding the Parkhead club.
"Pressure on football managers has always been there and the bigger the club, the greater the pressure," the former Hibernian and West Brom boss said.
"It has become more intense as the media has grown.
"That's what football is and you shouldn't complain.
"I'd like to think I sit here and complain too much.
"I like to think I'm pretty comfortable with it and the hysteria that the Scottish football media, especially in the west of Scotland, like to build to a crescendo.
"It doesn't really interest me.
"Everyone else seems to get concerned about it but I just get on with the job."
Mowbray also insisted he was not fretting about the prospect of losing his job.
"Do I worry?" replied Mowbray to questions over his job security. "Why should I worry? Me, worry about it? I have more concerns, me, I'm only here to do a job and build a team.
"I don't worry, I have my own worries in life. You've got the wrong guy. It doesn't impact on my life. Do I worry? No.
"Yet, I don't like the idea of me telling you (the media) that, because I see your headlines. You ask leading questions and spin them around."





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