I'm sure it has been stated in this thread (and many others) that this generation of Celtic support just can't handle things not going their way as they have forgotten what football actually is, it is a rollercoaster, it always has been, you have ups and downs.
For the last 9 years now they have had a complete free run at the title, due to the situation we were in. They had no pressure whatsoever for 8 of those titles. They have been used to swotting away lesser teams, and in the very rare time they did drop points it was never an issue as no challenge existed.
When we came back in to the league and they went and got Rodgers as they feared we would be challenging again, we were a shambles but it was always going to be a big jump for us coming up against a team who had a free run at champions league money for years and years, a free run at signing the best of scottish talent (which normally would have been split between the two).
They of course continued to win and beat us (heavily at times), this just continued their mindset that they were untouchable, nothing could stop them because we are shite, they are world beaters. We had their players swanning about the pitch like they are gods when up against really mediocre players.
Now after a few years at the helm and backing from the board Gerrard looks to have built a really good squad, it was always going to take a few years (look at liverpool, Klopp was in charge for years before they turned in to the team they are now), and all of a sudden their players weren't quite as cocky on the pitch. But their fans still didnt change, they then won the league last year again with everything going their way (we crumble, covid etc).
Once again this pushed on their mentality that they are untouchable, they are the best, we're shite. We heard from Celtic minded pundits that we are miles away, it will take £100m to get anywhere near them, we have heard from celtic minded pundits that non of our players would get near their squad. Their fans bought in to all of this and continued to laud it over scottish football with this entitled attitude.
This year we look good, their fans have took months to realise this (years to see we were improving, and not the team we were under Murty and the start of Gerrard), and all of a sudden they are panicking with the realisation that we may win the league, in their heads (due to everything above) they were still miles ahead of us so it must be something they are doing wrong, but all we have done is actually have a good team that will challenge and put them under pressure.
It shouldn't have been a surprise, we all knew we were improving year on year, they didn't and now being behind is a disaster, it may only be 5 points behind if they win the games in hand but to them it is a completely new experience and they don't know what to do.
I'm not getting carried away as we will drop points, but I don't see a "collapse" like last year, alot of football is still to be played and there will be twists and turns along the way, that is football, but I feel we are in a better place to deal with that.