Celtic winger James Forrest has urged Brendan Rodgers’ side to “come alive” as they prepare for a demanding run of domestic and European games.

The Parkhead side host Neil Lennon’s Hibs on Saturday afternoon before then facing up to Leipzig in the Europa League and Hearts in the Betfred League Cup semi-final.

It has been an insipid start to the season given the standard that Celtic set in Rodgers’ opening two campaigns at the club but Forrest believes the Parkhead side are capable picking up their domestic form where they left off with the 6-0 defeat of St Johnstone.

“They [Hearts and Hibs] deserve to be first and second in the league but we have these league games coming up and that will give us the chance to try and close the gap,” said Forrest. “We have played a lot better ourselves in recent weeks and we just need to push on and come alive in these big games

“Fair play to them, the pair of them have started really well. They have started brilliantly and that is why both teams are at the top of the table. We know they are both going to be hard matches.

“We have Hibs, Leipzig away and then Hearts. Every couple of games we have big games. These are the games we want to be involved in.”

Lennon was the Celtic manager who brought Forrest through from the Celtic academy and into the senior team, with the winger always a favourite of the former Parkhead manager.

Still, the hand of friendship will wait until after Saturday’s meeting at Celtic Park with Forrest expecting Celtic to be in for a run for their money from Lennon’s Easter Road team.

Hibs took all three points when the teams met in Leith towards the end of last term and added to the two league draws between the teams, there is ample evidence that Lennon will expect the same aggressive and fluid style of play from his side this weekend.

“I think even last season, in their first campaign back up, they did really well,” said Forrest. “Every time we played them last season we were involved in some tough games. They have lost a few players but they have signed a few more and I expect them to be right up there.

“We are the champions and that makes it harder. Any team that plays us, home or away, they are going to make it difficult. Every team wants to beat us and that never changes but we have the right character in the changing room to deal with that.”

Celtic have been in the unfamiliar position of craning their necks to check the league table this term, something that could change this weekend.

There are just three points between themselves and league leaders Hearts, who host Aberdeen at the same time as Celtic play Hibs. The outcome of both games will have a significant bearing on how the table looks by Saturday evening but Forrest expects that Celtic might well feel the breath of other teams on their neck throughout this campaign.

“You can see that with the league table and the starts that a lot of teams have made,” said the winger. “It is more competitive and it is going to be difficult and we know that it is going to be a tough season. We are aware of that but we have the ability in our changing room, the boys are working hard and I think things are starting to come together now.

“That [the win against St Johnstone] was really important going into the international break on the back of that result. All the boys will come back confident and flying and we look forward to getting back to work. I think we are getting back to our form of the last couple of seasons.”

Forrest returns to Celtic on the back of a difficult international break. The winger did not start against Israel last Thursday night as Alex McLeish’s Scotland side collapsed, an odd call given the confidence of the player.

Not that Forrest, who reported for Scotland duty on the back of netting four goals against St Johnstone, took the apparent snub to heart.

“I was buzzing coming on the other night in Israel in difficult circumstances,” he said. “You work hard and try to play well for your club so you can get into the national squad. So I am buzzing to get playing games for Scotland and I am looking to get in the manager’s plans and to play in more matches under him.

“There is no hiding it has been hard. It has been difficult against Israel and it was hard going. We need to make sure we are ready to take off in the next international break. We need to come back and get a good result in Albania away and that would be good to take us into the second game at home against Israel.

“The defeat in Israel last week wasn’t good and everyone knows that, the players and staff. It is still in our own hands. That is always a good thing. We know if we turn up and look after ourselves we can do it.

“There were a few Celtic boys involved against Portugal and that was good because it brings a bit of familiarity, which is also good. I thought we put in a better performance against Portugal although we were disappointing with the final scoreline.”