Celtic have strolled to the last two Clydesdale Bank Premier League titles despite Gordon Strachan vastly changing the playing squad since arriving in the summer of 2005.

Rivals Rangers toiled for much of Alex McLeish's final season in charge while Paul Le Guen endured a disastrous spell at Ibrox last season.

The title race was all but over when Walter Smith reassumed control a year ago but he quickly transformed the Gers and this season they carried on where they left off.

Rangers now have a four-point lead over Celtic, who face Motherwell at Fir Park tomorrow.

And Burns, who knows more than most about the pressure of the club from his spell as player and manager, has urged the new crop to meet the challenge head on.

The first-team coach said: "There's always two sides to the Old Firm, there's a side where you are lucky enough to land in a good team and the opposition is not so good, and everything in the garden is rosy.

"But the real winners are the ones that can be there when the opposition is every bit as good, the pressure is on and it's week to week, and it's a whole different psychological game then."

Celtic have another tough challenge against fourth-placed 'Well, who have been transformed by Mark McGhee, a former Celtic team-mate of Burns.

"I think he has done a remarkable job at Motherwell considering the criticism the same group of players got last year," Burns said.

Burns believes the skill of managers such as McGhee has made life more difficult for the Old Firm.

"I think the pack have improved, not so much in the technical level of the footballers, but I think the managers are much better versed in the game," he said.

"I see a lot of good tactical ways, good coaches like McGhee, Craig Levein, Jim Jefferies, Jimmy Calderwood, guys like that who make good tactical decisions during games."

Meanwhile, Celtic midfielder Evander Sno admits he may not be at the club much longer as he struggles to win a first-team place.

The 20-year-old Dutch midfielder has made only two SPL starts this season after a promising debut year at Parkhead.

"I think I can play football or else I wouldn't be here," Sno said.

"The manager has his opinion on other players now and you have to respect that as well.

"Every football player who doesn't get many minutes sometimes you get mad, you get disappointed but you just have to get on with it."