Cameron Carter-Vickers calls on unbeaten Celtic to step things up a notch

Cameron Carter-Vickers has called on unbeaten Celtic to step things up a notch as they bid to reassert themselves at the top of the William Hill Premiership in the months ahead.

The Hoops have not lost in the league but slipped behind early pacesetters Hearts after being held to goalless draws by Rangers and Hibernian, with their lack of goals having become a particular point of concern.

Carter-Vickers acknowledged they need to sharpen up as they prepare to visit Dundee on Sunday.

“There are areas that we want to improve upon, but, results-wise, especially domestically, it’s been pretty good,” said the defender.

“Two games into the European campaign, we want to start getting points on the board, but I thought the point away from home (against Red Star Belgrade) was a decent one. It was disappointing to lose at home to Braga.

“In general you are always looking to improve, but I think at the moment we are more focused on our attacking play and trying to create more opportunities to score more goals.

“I think the defence has been pretty good. We’ve conceded two in each of the last two games to Motherwell and Braga, but, up until that point, we hadn’t conceded many at all.

“If you look at the goals against in the Braga game, one was a 30-yard strike and the other was late on in the game, and, apart from that I thought we didn’t give up many chances, so defensively I feel we’ve been OK.”

Celtic’s last visit to Dens Park resulted in a 3-3 draw in mid-January, with Arne Engels netting Celtic’s equaliser from the spot in the 90th minute.

Carter-Vickers, who has been on international duty with the United States, said: “I’m looking forward to it. We’ve had a couple of weeks without a game, so it will be good to get out there and back playing.

“I don’t think any game is a gimme.

“A lot of times I’ve played up there, it’s always been in difficult games and tight games, so we’re probably expecting that this time as well.”

Dundee have not defeated Celtic in any competition in their last 46 attempts since May 2001, while they have not won at home to the Hoops in 36 matches since September 1988.

Manager Steven Pressley said: “I said to the players prior to the Aberdeen game (earlier this month) that we hadn’t won there in 21 years.

“I said to them before the Rangers game (in August), we hadn’t taken a point at Ibrox in 24 years.

“I said to the players this week that when we go to Hibernian in four weeks’ time, it’ll be 20-plus years (since winning there). We play Celtic on Sunday and it’s 37 years (since beating them at home).

“Most of our players weren’t even born the last time that Dundee won. That tells you that it’s tough being at this club, it’s difficult winning games at this club.

“But our job within this club is to change that and bring more consistency and get better results.

“This club has struggled for a long time and I want to make that better.”