Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata felt they showed they were up for the fight in their 3-1 win over Aberdeen on Friday night.
The Ladbrokes Premiership champions streaked into a three-goal lead inside 11 minutes but had to withstand some spells of pressure after Jonny Hayes pulled one back moments later.
The game had long looked like the biggest threat to Celtic's bid to go through the league season unbeaten and their triumph, which took them to 100 points, also set them up well for the William Hill Scottish Cup final against the same opponents on May 27.
Boyata, who headed the opener, said: "It was a hard game. We didn't really play our style of game but we knew it would be hard and we came for the fight. It was a fighting game and we showed we can do that too.
"The first thing for us was to win all our challenges and it stayed 3-1 so that was good."
Manager Brendan Rodgers was proud of the way his players stood up to the challenge.
Rodgers said: "We had to show that we can defend. Aberdeen play very direct. The ball comes in from all angles, from the side, from behind. There is no real sequence of passing, it's just get it forward. So we had to stand up to that.
"The centre-halves, the defenders were brilliant, the midfield players getting around the second balls. It wasn't a pretty game but they had to show they could defend. In the second half there were a couple of moments on the counter-attack where if we made the last pass a little bit better we could have scored.
"But to come away from here 3-1 and defend like we did and show another side of our game, I am very, very proud of the team."
Rodgers also believes the performance proved there would be no let-up from his players, especially as they are only one strike away from scoring 100 goals to add to the 100 points.
It is inconceivable they do not manage that in their final two league games against Partick Thistle and St Johnstone.
"One of our targets in pre-season was to get 100-plus goals and hopefully we can do so over the next two games," said the Carnlough man.
"To reach 100 points with two games to go it shows the level, the quality and, as much as anything, the focus of the team. I think people are waiting for the game we go soft and lose our focus but that's not the case.
"We're preparing every single day to win every single game, to train the best we can and win. The players are doing it really well."
There was also a landmark for Aberdeen as 16-year-old Dean Campbell became their youngest first-team player after replacing Niall McGinn for the final few minutes.
At one month and 23 days over 16, he beat Jack Grimmer's previous mark for the record Aberdeen debutant.
The midfielder had sat an English exam at Hazlehead Academy earlier in the day.
Dons boss Derek McInnes said: "Dean Campbell is one of the biggest Aberdeen fans at the club. His family are all massive fans. It meant a lot to them.
"We are stretched at the moment because of injuries so he might not have been given that opportunity, but his position on the bench was merited after some of his performances.
"He was at school earlier. It is a good story and hopefully it will be the first of many for him. He is a boy we think a lot of.
"There are few others at that age who are coming through. He may well get more opportunities before the end of the season."
