DEFENDER HOPES TO CATCH McLEISH EYE

RANGERS defender David Bates hopes to show Alex McLeish he i s ready for Scotland honours by shutting out Celtic on Sunday.

The 21-year-old former Raith Rovers centre-back has established himself as a mainstay in the Rangers line-up under new boss Graeme Murty.

His impressive form has even kept Bruno Alves out of the side in recent weeks and now he is eyeing up a place in new national team boss McLeish’s set-up.

Bates insists he will not allow his focus to wander as Rangers l ook to cut Celtic’s lead at the top of the Premiership to j ust three points.

But he also knows he will boost his chances of landing a place in McLeish’s squad f or t his month’s friendly double-header with Costa Rica and Hungary — which i s announced on Monday — by shackling the likes of Moussa Dembele.

“I’m concentrating on games for Rangers right now and trying to keep my place in this side,” he said.

“That’s a tough job with the centre-halves we have at the club. If I keep carrying on like I am, other things like Scotland call-ups will take care of themselves.

“Sunday is the type of game where you can show you are ready for that next step. All the big games like those against Aberdeen, Hibs, Hearts — if you can perform in those big games and have done it against the so-called smaller teams, it shows you’re ready for that next level.”