Ryan Christie hoping to push on

Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie is hoping to “push on” with the Scottish champions in 2019-20 and insists he can handle the pressure.

The 24-year-old joined Celtic from Inverness Caledonian Thistle on a four-year deal but has struggled to earn regular gametime. Christie has made just 28 appearances in the Premiership but 18 of those came in 2018-19 and he is hoping to add to that tally during the upcoming campaign.

Former boss Brendan Rodgers didn’t appear to fancy him but Christie is one of the first names on the team sheet for Neil Lennon and looks set to get his wish. He has started all three of their games in the Champions League so far this term, rewarded the manager’s faith by netting three times, and is unlikely to dropped anytime soon.

Christie said: “It’s been brilliant. I’ve been lucky enough to break into the team and stay there. “This season I’m wanting to properly push on and make a real impact on the team. If I can do that I’ll be happy.”

The Scotland international accepts that playing for Celtic, who are priced at 1.36 to win the Premiership, comes with pressure but feels he is capable of coping with the demands of representing a big club.

He added: “I’d rather be playing under pressure than not playing at all. When you’re playing at Celtic, there will always be a pressure to perform.

“It’s such a high-quality squad that if you’re not performing then you won’t play. It’s as simple as that. “It’s a pressure I’m looking forward to dealing with, especially as an attacking player as I need to create and score goals myself.”