LEE NAYLOR insists Celtic save their best performances for the business end of the season - and wants to prove that by securing a fourth successive championship.

The Parkhead club lie three points ahead of Old Firm rivals Rangers as the pair battle it out for the SPL title.

Gordon Strachan's men failed to take a glorious chance to move five points clear of Rangers when they could only manage a 2-2 draw with Dundee United at Tannadice just before the international break.

So it now means there is no margin for error for Naylor and his team-mates if they are to prove successful in their bid to win four-in-a-row.

As someone who has now been over the course many times before, the Englishman has faith in his colleagues to handle the pressure and come out on top.

"It's now a case of finishing the job off," he said. "Now we are coming to the end of the season it's important we keep our minds on what we have to do.

"The manager will select his team accordingly, but no matter who plays, we are winners.

"We don't like to lose, we put everything into our games and I have no doubt that we will be raring to go in the last nine games of the season."

Naylor knows ability undoubtedly has a massive say on which side wins the league, but he also concedes mental strength plays a major part as well.

He said: "Without a shadow of a doubt, you would disappear into a shell if you couldn't cope with the expectation or level of pressure at this club.

"Especially when you get a few bad results and when that happens, it's a case of what happens now?' Do you go hide from it? Do you retreat?

"I don't think anyone here over the past three or four years has done that and I think that's credit to the gaffer, that he has selected players who are big characters, players who are able to pull people through matches on difficult days.

"That's something a manager has to consider when he's signing players for a club like Celtic, can they cope with the pressure? And, like I said, it's something that the gaffer has done very well since he's been up here."

It was a rare goal from Naylor that salvaged a point for Celtic at Tannadice after they fell 2-1 behind.

With a fine left-footed volley that ripped into the back of the net, it's fair to say it's not quite what you expect when you see the full-back at the edge of the penalty area.

According to the player, however, he seems to have a knack for spectacular - if rare - strikes on goal. Speaking in the Celtic View, he said: "We'd been pushing forward and I stayed up. Later, when I looked at the replay I didn't realise that I'd caught the ball that high, so it was a good goal, a really good goal.

"I've never really scored a tap-in to be honest. My Celtic goals have been good and the manager actually saw me score one of my best goals - when I was still a kid at Wolves - and I've scored a few 25-yard volleys and a few really good free-kicks. But I'm a defender now."

Naylor is preparing himself for some tough tests during the title run-in, adding: "Everywhere you go in Scotland you have to battle.

"Especially when you are a defender and you have to cope with everything that comes into the box and also handle people running at you outside the box.

"You have to win every game at this club."