LEIGH Griffiths has told Dave King he is talking nonsense after the Rangers chairman claimed Celtic should be further ahead of his Ibrox side.

Toppling Brendan Rodgers’ rampant Hoops proved a task beyond every Scottish side last year as the Parkhead men completed their 47-game domestic season unbeaten.

Celtic’s ‘Invincibles’ wrapped up their first treble since 2001 and finished an astonishing 39 points ahead of their rivals from across Glasgow in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Yet King claims Rangers’ Old Firm foes are not “as far ahead as they could have been”.

The Ibrox chief, who has provided boss Pedro Caixinha with funds to bring in eight new players this summer, was reported by several newspapers as saying: “Given that we were in the wilderness for four years I don’t think Celtic did as much in that four years as they could have done.

“We are clearly behind them squad-wise but I really would expect to give them a run.”

But that sparked a stunned response from Celtic frontman Griffiths.

He said: “What was the gulf, 30-odd points? How big does he expect it to be?

“They were touting at the start of this year that they were going to win the league and this and that. Joey Barton was coming up to be the best player in Scotland.

“He only lasted a few months. The first game they got hammered 5-1, they got hammered 5-1 in the last game of the season. The gulf couldn’t be any bigger.

“They will be trying this season to bridge the gap but for (King) to come out and say we should be further ahead is ludicrous really. Thirty-odd points is mad and if you said to somebody at the start of last season that Rangers would finish that far behind, they’d be raging.

“We just want to concentrate on our job and that is to defend that title.”

The Hoops striker kicked off last year expecting to be Rodgers’ main man up front having netted 40 goals in Ronny Deila’s final campaign in charge.

But a combination of injuries and the explosive introduction of Moussa Dembele left the Scotland frontman frustrated as he spent most of the season on the bench.

However, buoyed by his stunning free-kick double against England earlier this month, Griffiths is determined to win back his slot and help fire the Hoops to the Champions League.

“First and foremost it’s all about the team but you want to be selfish as well and I’m no different to anyone else - I want to be playing week in, week out,” he said.

“I just need to do my job on the training ground and take my chance when it comes.

“I’ve never had any doubts about my belief. Last year was frustrating because I was injured but when I did get a chance when Moussa got injured, I took it.”