Celtic’s hard done by PFA team of the season duo that could have made XI - Tony Haggerty

Celtic are currently six points clear of their city rivals Rangers in the quest for the Scottish Premiership title.

Ange Postecoglou's side also dominated the PFA Scotland Premiership team of the season with that same number of players in the team compared to Rangers' two.

Cameron Carter-Vickers, Josip Juranovic, Tom Rogic, Callum McGregor, Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi all made the 2021-22 line-up, which is voted for by Scottish Premiership players based on their performances throughout the season.

Rangers captain James Tavernier and striker Alfredo Morelos are the only two from Ibrox to make the 11.

It is in stark contrast to last season when Rangers claimed eight places in the team to Celtic’s three.

Scottish Cup finalists and European football qualifiers Hearts boast two representatives in the shape of goalkeeper Craig Gordon and Rangers-bound central defender John Souttar while Ross County's Regan Charles-Cook - the Scottish Premiership's top goalscorer - also makes the cut.

But is there a case for even more Celtic players to be included in the team?

It would be churlish to deny that 39-year-old Gordon has has an outstanding season for Hearts having forced his way back into the Scotland number one shirt and helping the Edinburgh men clinch a third-spot finish and a place in Europe as well as reach the Scottish Cup final on their return to the Scottish Premiership.

However, there is a certain custodian between the sticks at Paradise who goes by the name of Joe Hart who might be slightly miffed at his omission.

The former Manchester City and England number one has the best record between the sticks in terms of shut-outs and goals conceded this season. Hart has posted 18 clean sheets in 31 Premiership matches - a 57 per cent ratio - and has conceded just 19 goals in a superb campaign.

Joe Hart had a case for inclusion

His signing has been absolutely integral to Celtic's success story this season and the goalkeeper himself has even bought into Postecoglou's philosophy and style by playing it out from the back.

In the defence is club player of the year nominee Carter-Vickers and Croatian defender Juranovic. The USA international has been a vital cog in the green and white machine being the meanest defence in the Premiership.

Although there is also a strong opinion based argument that Carl Starfelt could conceivably have replaced John Souttar.

There is a perception out there that Starfelt is the weaker of the Celtic pairing in defence but that is certainly not borne out by the statistics.

The Swede may have made a slow start to life in Glasgow but, like his defensive partner, he has grown into the central defensive role. He has been in irresistible form this season and he has as many league clean sheets when he is in Celtic's starting 11 as Hart - 18 in total.

Starfelt's exclusion, when you consider that he forms one half of the best defensive partnership in the league, may raise some eyebrows.

Juranovic has impressed in his debut season at his traditional right-back slot and even when he has been shunted to the unaccustomed left-back berth.

With Tavernier's inclusion probably a stick-on - he has netted 15 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions and also has 12 assists as Rangers reached the Europa League semi-final and Scottish Cup final - it's difficult to argue the case for Greg Taylor to come into the side without dropping Juranovic.

Yet Taylor is in the form of his career and, like Hart, might consider himself unlucky to not be given a nod. 

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In the midfield areas, there is no argument that the Celtic duo Callum McGregor and Tom Rogic deserve their slots.

McGregor has risen to the challenge of wearing the captain's armband vacated by Scott Brown and he has flourished in the role to become the new driving force and beating heart of the Celtic team.

The Wizard of Oz, meanwhile, has been included for the first time - and no wonder. He has been unplayable at times this season, none more so than his midfield masterclass at Ibrox earlier this month which saw him score the equaliser in Postecoglou's men's 2-1 success to stretch the lead at the top of the Premiership to six points.

The Australian is also up for the PFA Scotland goal of the season for his stunning solo effort against Dundee United at Tannadice in a 3-0 Premiership win on December 5.

Jota, who bagged his 11th goal of the season against Ross County on Sunday, also has 12 assists and on this form would represent a £6.5million bargain for Celtic should they manage to get a deal over the line this summer. He merits his place.

Charles-Cook's selection is similarly hard to argue with as his 13 goals have propelled Ross County from bookies' bottom dogs to a top-six side and on with more than a squeak of securing a Europa spot.

Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi has 17 goals in all competitions - nine in the Premiership - as well as a double against Hibs in the League Cup final. The Japan international hit the ground running and is proving to be something of a goalscoring talisman for Postecoglou's team - despite missing four months of the season due to injury, he warrants his spot.

Kyogo, left, and Jota, centre, both made the team

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, who has 12 goals total this season, is also included in the PFA 11 for what is the third time.

One wonders, though, if Giorgos Giakoumakis could have dislodged the Colombian if he had been fully fit for the whole campaign.

Giakoumakis's 13 goals in 27 appearances - with all but one of them being a one-touch finish - are comparable stats-wise to Morelos but, to be fair, the Rangers striker has been a standout in the Light Blues run to the last four of the Europa League which has had an influence.

Regardless of how many Celtic players could have made it in, the votes from the PFA Scotland's fellow professionals are the ultimate compliment to what they have achieved this season.

The title may not have been won yet... but come Sunday a win against Rangers at Parkhead would all but confirm the draping of green and white ribbons around the trophy.

Postecoglou's team have been the success story of the season. Celtic have the players to prove it. Well - six of them at least. Not bad for a group of players who are being labelled the worst Celtic team ever to win the title.

The PFA Scotland Team of the year vote doesn't lie though - and neither does the Premiership table.