A Celtic win over Hearts is of special importance, what with a quadruple treble at stake, and it can be a catalyst for a push for their tenth league title in a row.
The champions go into Sunday's Scottish Cup final (carried over from May due to the coronavirus) on the back of two wins, against Lille and Kilmarnock, and while lifting another trophy is all Neil Lennon, and the players will be thinking about, there is far more at stake here.
Despite attempting to focus solely on the task at hand, Lennon admitted as much in the build-up to the encounter at Hampden Park.
"It is important to us to try and complete the quadruple treble, which will probably never be seen again," he said.
"It is really important for me personally. As a manager, it would be my first treble and for the players to finish off what has been a magnificent four years at the club."
Lennon's ambition to clinch his first treble as a manager masks over the dramatic need for another positive result.
It is key to him retaining the Celtic board's confidence and his job. To put it simply, it has been an awful campaign so far for the club.
There is an argument to be made that Lennon should have been relieved of his duties already, particularly following the disastrous Europa League thumping's at the hands of Sparta Prague.
Football is a cut-throat business, as evidenced by Borussia Dortmund dropping the axe over Lucian Favre this past week. Lennon has been given plenty of time to rectify Celtic's poor form, time that he would not have received if he was at another club.
Most of the anger directed at the coaching staff has pivoted in recent weeks and is now largely directed at the upper echelons at Celtic Park.
Protests have erupted at the ground, and Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawell now bear the brunt of the displeasure for the season's shortcomings.
Crowds gather as part of a Celtic fan protest outside the stadium before the Scottish Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow.Though Lennon denied that there was any disunity in the pre-match build-up there is no denying the serious fault lines at Celtic currently.
Celtic need to beat Hearts for the history that is at stake, but also to spur on their title charge and alleviate the pressure around Parkhead.
All eyes on the league
The Celtic support has been crying out for any chink in Steven Gerrard's sides armour.
That might have come on Wednesday night as Rangers crashed out of the League Cup, losing 3-2 to St. Mirren.
For all of the plaudits, Gerrard's team have received this season, the fact remains that he is still yet to win a trophy as manager of the Ibrox side.
If they end up lifting the title in May, that will not matter but Wednesday's game reminded everyone that Rangers are not infallible and have routinely stumbled over hurdles under Gerrard's tenure.
How will they respond this time?
A Celtic win on Sunday would add to the nervousness around Ibrox, ahead of what is already shaping up to be the biggest Glasgow derby in years.
Celtic need to prioritise their own performances first
All of the above will be a moot point should Celtic be unable to dispatch Hearts and follow this up, with wins over Ross County, Hamilton, and Dundee United.
Two of those three league games are at Celtic Park where, admittedly, the side have flattered to deceive this year, however, you would still expect Celtic to see off all three teams, only one of whom are currently in the top six.
Celtic fans gather outside Celtic Park after Celtic were crowned champions of the Ladbrokes Premiership.If they can do so, that would make it six wins in a row and the thoughts of Januaries trip to Ibrox would not seem as daunting.
The long-term vision for Celtic
It is prudent to be very cautious when predicting the club's fortunes over the next two weeks.
At the time of writing, the Scottish Cup final has not yet been played. Celtic have not won another treble yet, and they have not ended December with nine points from their last three games in 2020.
If the above does materialise, however, there is still a need for improved leadership at the club from the top down.
Some supporters clubs and individual fans are throwing their weight behind the Celtic Trust, hoping to purchase a larger stake in the club, that is currently dominated by the majority shareholder, Desmond.
There has also been discussion around the idea of bringing in a director of football to focus on running the footballing side of things.
In the summer, a new manager should come in to drive the club forward and improve our fortunes in Europe, where we have underachieved in recent times.
All of these conversations should not stop if Celtic can perform the miraculous and turn this season around.
Crowds gather as part of a Celtic fan protest outside the stadium before the Scottish Premiership match at Celtic Park, Glasgow.Whatever their intended method, the supporters are looking for ways to improve how the club operates, and how it engages with those who pour their hard-earned money into its coffers.
That can only be of benefit to Celtic in the long-term, whether or not it manages to win ten-in-a-row.
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Sunday will have a huge bearing on Celtic's short, medium and long-term future.
A win would immortalise the current squad in Scottish football history, become a starting point for their push for another league title and allow the club to secure its long-term future on its own terms.
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