Rangers manager Derek McInnes has urged his players to draw strength from a capacity Ibrox crowd when they face Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final on Sunday. The highly anticipated match will be played exclusively in front of Rangers supporters due to previous crowd disturbances between the two sides.
McInnes believes the unique crowd dynamic presents a significant opportunity for his team to make an early season statement against their rivals. However, he stressed that the home advantage will only be effective if the players deliver a performance that energizes the fans. "I think we’ve got to bring the crowd with us," McInnes stated. "You’re not going to play Celtic and dominate the game for 90 minutes. We’ll have spells, they’ll have spells, it’s just the way it is."
He added that the team needs to "tap into having that 50,000 behind us and behind the players, support them, have their backs, not be on their backs and really make it as tough for Celtic as possible." McInnes highlighted the importance of capitalizing on good play and creating scoring opportunities, a lesson learned from recent matches against St Mirren and Motherwell where the team struggled to convert chances.
"If we can capitalise on good play and good opportunities... if we can get ourselves in front, give the crowd something to get behind, then I think the strength of our club can be shown," McInnes explained. He acknowledged Celtic as a strong opponent with a recent history of winning trophies but expressed confidence that Rangers can challenge for silverware again this season. "Sunday gives us a chance to take a step towards that," he said.
This crucial cup tie follows a period of positive league form for Rangers, who secured their fourth consecutive league win with Bojan Miovski's stoppage-time goal against St Mirren. Miovski, who had a limited role earlier in the season, has emerged as a key player due to injuries to Youssef Chermiti and Lawrence Shankland. McInnes praised Miovski's crucial contribution, calling his goal a "big moment" that turned one point into three. "He comes up with a big moment for us and a lovely finish that separated the teams," McInnes reflected.
McInnes also commented on defender John Souttar, noting that there is interest from other clubs, and a potential transfer could develop in the coming days. "I spoke to John this morning," McInnes said. "There’s a bit of interest in him from one or two clubs, one club maybe a bit further down the line than the other."