SOCCER/Scottish Premier League: Man-of-the-match Roy Keane admitted he is still not guaranteed a starting place at Celtic despite his display in the 1-0 Old Firm victory over Rangers at Ibrox yesterday.

"It was nice to get 90 minutes under my belt, but the priority was to win the game," the Corkman said. "It is nice (to have a 100 per cent Old Firm record), but my record isn't important. It is important to win the league after last year.

"I've played in some big games before so it wasn't really a shock to me. I have played here before with United, so I knew what it would be like.

"You enjoy it, and enjoy it more when you win. You expect it to be quick and passionate like any derby match. We managed to get the first goal which was important.

"I have had to be patient, and I was delighted to be in the starting 11. That's my second or third full game in five months, so we have a strong squad.

"We (Keane and Neil Lennon) can play in there together, but there are other top players in the squad so you have to fight for your place. Everyone wants to play, but you have to respect your manager and your team-mates if left out.

"Individuals don't come into it, but I have made the right decision coming here. I will hopefully get more games under my belt.

"It was a bonus to get a clean sheet as well as winning the game and I hope we kick on from here."

It was Celtic's first clean sheet since beating Rangers in November. Manager Gordon Strachan described the 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League as "quite encouraging".

Maciej Zurawski's first-half goal saw them increase their lead over Hearts, but the jubilant Scot is refusing to count their rivals out of the championship race.

"The position now is quite encouraging," Strachan said. "It wasn't a classic, but what you saw was a real man's game and we had real men out there."

But Strachan is taking nothing for granted as regards the league title.

"I'm the Celtic manager - you cannot get to relax, I'm afraid," he said. "I don't know how the players will react, I don't know how they will play from now on and how they will handle being 13 points clear.

"It's a new thing for me and one or two players so we will have to see how we react to that."