Celtic coach Tommy Burns believes in-form winger Aiden McGeady will get better and better - because he has "the eye of the tiger".

The 21-year-old has scored eight goals this season and has been in sparkling form leading up to Wednesday's Clydesdale Bank Premier League visit of Inverness.

The Republic of Ireland international has set up six goals in the last five games and left fans drooling over some immense pieces of skill against Aberdeen and St Mirren.

One of those assists came in the 3-2 defeat by Barcelona and McGeady remains Celtic's main hope of a 'Rocky'-style victory against all odds in the Nou Camp next week.

Burns said: "He had some fantastic games last year, and possibly the year before, but this year he has been the difference.

"Naka (Shunsuke Nakamura) was injured for a long time and it was important that if he was going to take the next step to being the player we know he is going to be then he had to step up to the plate and take on the playmaker role. And he has done that fantastically well.

"You see some of the magical things he does in games and I think some of the players are in awe of him, even in training.

"The one thing you don't want to be is a full-back coming over here on trial - I think he has been through three or four of them - because he is the guy they come up against.

"He has been sensational and there is more to come from him.

"He will get better and better because he has got the eye of the tiger - that hunger that he wants to go to the very highest level - and I think he is capable of doing that."

Celtic left-back Lee Naylor believes McGeady is just holding off team-mate Scott McDonald in the race for the player of the year awards.

The Englishman said: "He has been awesome, he has taken his game on another level.

"He is coming out with things that are mind-blowing, but he does that on the training ground every day.

"He is bringing that into his game now and we are reaping the rewards. More or less, I just give him the ball and let him do his stuff.

"He likes me to overlap and we've got a good relationship down the left. But he is a wicked player and he does his stuff - I just back him up."

One downside to McGeady's game has been his disciplinary record.

He received his 10th yellow card of the season in Sunday's 1-0 win against St Mirren and almost missed an Old Firm game through suspension before the New Year clash was postponed.

But Burns believes that fault will disappear with maturity.

The first-team coach said: "Most of the bookings he has had have been for quite petulant things, maybe shouting at a referee when he has not had a decision.

"But you have got to remember he is only 21 years old and I think he has to live through that part of his development.

"He will soon know that it can cost you a lot of money for falling out with these guys, so he doesn't want to be doing that too often.

"Ultimately, you can miss games and it could be an important game so I think that's something he will iron out of his game."

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