LEIGH Griffiths knows, having scored just once in the four appearances he has made since returning to first team action last month, he is highly unlikely to start for Celtic against Salzburg tomorrow evening.

He understands that Odsonne Edouard, his French team mate, will, if fit, be preferred up front in a Europa League game his side need to either draw or win to clinch a place in the knockout rounds for the second season running.

Griffiths, though, still feels he can make an important contribution for Brendan Rodgers’s side against Marco Rose’s team in their final Group B match at Parkhead. He certainly has to date in their campaign despite his fitness and injury issues.

Indeed, his strike against Suduva in a play-off match back in August and his late winner after coming off the bench against Rosenborg in the opening match in their section in September have helped to ensure Celtic have a chance to reach the last 32 of the competition

“The Rosenborg goal has stood us in good stead,” he said. “The next two games were difficult (against Salzburg and Leipzig away), but we bounced back with two victories (against Leipzig at home and Rosenborg away). Now we need a point to go through. But I think we will be going all out to get a win.

“It was nice to score against Rosenborg. There was obviously a lot of frustration in the celebration. But any goal you score is important regardless of whether it is a tap-in or a 30 yard strike. They are all important to you. It helped us get three points on the board straight away. We have kicked on from there.

“I am feeling good. You saw that against Hamilton when I came on and made an impact. The same was true against Rosenborg. I am feeling fresh. I am feeling good and ready to go whenever the gaffer needs me. I always want to make an impact. I am always fully focused on doing well.”

His Sudava and Rosenborg strikes, too, were far from his first for Celtic in Europe. Indeed, he has been on target 13 times in continental competition in the five years he has been at Parkhead.

He is joint fifth in the scoring chart alongside Stevie Chalmers, Georgios Samaras and Willie Wallace and ahead of Tommy Gemmell, Harry Hood and Bobby Murdoch in the all-time scoring chart.

It a decent return from a player whose £1 million signing from Wolves back in the January of 2014 was questioned by many supporters and pundits due to his complete lack of experience at that high level. The 28-year-old confessed that he has enjoyed silencing his doubters.

“I like proving people wrong and shutting them up,” he said. “There were a lot of people who didn’t think I’d be able to cut it here and that I would be away the first chance the manager got, but I’ve been here for a long time now and the fact that he just gave me a four-year deal shows he has faith in me.

“So I don’t think I have to prove anything to anyone now, not really. The manager has said publicly that he knows what I can do, as do the other managers I’ve worked for. The gaffer knows how far I can go in the game.

“To be honest, I’m not sure about Celtic’s European goalscorers’ records, but I can’t be far away from the top five. Listen, it doesn’t matter which competition you’re scoring in as long as you’re doing your job. That’s the most important thing.

“I don’t go searching for records myself, but people put them online, especially on Twitter, saying you’re close to this or that record so I’ll have a quick glance and, if I’m up there, I’ll take pride in it. I’ve still got a long way to go so I’ll add to those totals.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of prestige attached to European goals and, when you look at the list and see that you’re close to a certain player then you want to emulate them. I know Henrik has scored more than anyone else and if I could get half as many as he did then I’ll be doing well.”

Griffiths added: “It’s nice to have scored so many and, having signed that new four-year contract, I’ve been given the chance to add to that total.

“Getting 100 goals for the club was a real milestone and my next target is to see how close I can get to 200. It’s obviously been a year of mixed emotions for me, with being injured the low point. But joining the 100 club was a great moment. Hopefully, I’ve a lot more goals left in me.”

Celtic only need a point to progress to the last 32 for the second time in 12 months, but Griffiths feels, with over 58,000 roaring them on inside Parkhead, they will look to complete a hat-trick of group wins and go through in style.

“I don’t think it’s any manager’s make-up to play for a draw,” he said. “It’s nice that we only need a draw, but there will be a full house at Celtic Park roaring us on for the win. We’re finishing the group against the most difficult opponents in it, but our task might be eased a little now that they’re already through.

“I would like to think with so many games coming up I could expect a bit of game time. But it is up to me to prove to the manager and the coaching staff that I am worthy of getting on and hopefully I can make an impact from there.”