A 4-2 defeat by rivals Rangers at Celtic Park at the end of August helped the the Light Blues go three points clear at the top of the table,

Celtic responded by beating Motherwell in their next game to set them on an impressive run of form even though growing injury problems meant that by the next time they beat the Fir Park side a fortnight ago, manager Gordon Strachan had a full team of players on the treatment table.

McManus, looking forward to the trip to play St Mirren at Love Street tomorrow where they can take their lead at the top of the table to seven points over Rangers, insists strength in depth at Celtic Park has been the key.

"At the start of the run I would have said that it could have happened, looking at the squad that we've got," he said.

"If we had three or four players injured in previous years then they would be badly missed.

"But it just shows you how strong the squad is that it doesn't matter who you are, you are not going to be missed because there is a good player coming in.

"That is a valuable thing to have in a squad.

"But I couldn't have told you that we had won 10 games in a row to be perfectly honest.

"You just go in to every game to win it."

McManus is looking forward to his side seeing more of the ball at Love Street after featuring for Scotland in their friendly defeat by Argentina at Hampden on Wednesday night.

The big defender said: "You try and pick up something from every game you play in and first and foremost I certainly learned on Wednesday night that it's a lot easier when you have the ball.

"When you play with Scotland, you are not in possession of the ball as often as you are when you play at club level with Celtic.

"Darren Fletcher of Manchester United will be the same, they are always in possession of the ball and the Rangers lads will be the same.

"So it's different kind of football but you have to meet all these challenges head on."