GERRARD SEEKS HOME COMFORTS IN OLD FIRM CLASH

OVER the course of an iconic 17-year career as a Liverpool player, Steven Gerrard’s home record in Merseyside derbies was almost perfect. Almost. ‘We lost once, off the top of my head,’ he recalled yesterday. ‘And it was my fault, as well. I got sent off.’ His recollection of September 27, 1999, is perhaps a little harsh. It was the 90th minute when Gerrard, then only 19, was dismissed for a high lunge on Everton goalscorer Kevin Campbell as Liverpool desperately sought an equaliser against rivals led by Rangers legend Walter Smith. Nevertheless, it still felt an appropriate memory to summon as he prepared for a first Ibrox experience of Old Firm management. If Rangers are to end Celtic’s 12match unbeaten streak in this fixture, Gerrard knows his players will have to walk a line. They must channel all the passionate power of a near50,000 home support into their collective performance, yet retain cool-enough heads to make the right decisions. ‘I think you have to find the right balance in terms of playing emotionally, but also with the right focus and concentration,’ argued Gerrard. ‘I think if you can find that as a player, you can find the performance in there. ‘That’s when I used to play at my best in derbies, when I was fired up but had emotional control. ‘On a few occasions, I boiled over. But for me to find some of my top performances in derbies, I had to go there and take it to the edge. ‘They were always my favourite fixtures as a player. I am not going to lie to you, when the fixture list came out, you go straight to the Old Firm games. ‘I can’t wait for it. I really enjoyed the experience in the first Old Firm game. I didn’t enjoy the result because it lingered for that bit longer.’ The 1-0 defeat at Parkhead in early September saw Rangers perform timidly during the first half. Gerrard is adamant there can be no repeat of that mindset today. The 38-year-old doesn’t underplay the significance of this encounter in terms of being able to contest the Premiership crown. Celtic are three points ahead with a game in hand.