Showing no fear at Parkhead is crucial for Murty

RANGERS caretaker boss Graeme Murty last night urged his side not to be fearful as they return to Parkhead and the scene of their heaviest defeat of the season.

Under Mark Warburton, the Ibrox side lost 5-1 in September, with Moussa Dembele grabbing Celtic’s first Old Firm hat-trick since 1973.

On Sunday, rampant Celtic will be going for their fourth win in a row in the fixture under Brendan Rodgers, having also beaten Rangers 1-0 in the Betfred Cup semi-final in October and 2-1 at Ibrox in the league on Hogmanay.

Stand-in boss Murty will remain in charge for the clash, with incoming manager Pedro Caixinha set to watch from the main stand at Celtic Park before being unveiled next week.

And former Scotland and Reading defender Murty has called on his players to be mentally tough and make sure they do not wilt in the whitehot atmosphere in the east end of Glasgow.

‘It’s not rocket science,’ said the 42-year-old. ‘You have to cope with what they (Celtic) are going to bring to the party. It’s down to the players supporting one another and embracing the challenge and not being fearful.

‘I’ve got an understanding of what it’s going to take. I’ve got a clear understanding of some of the principles that I would like to instil in the players and a clear understanding in my mind of what it’s going to take to get a positive result.

‘Regardless of any tactical changes or formations, it’s about players standing up at Parkhead. That’s going to be vitally important.

‘The more I see of this game, the more I’m convinced that we need to embrace more advanced techniques in getting into players’ minds and hoping they will be mentally stronger and be better decisionmakers under pressure — because that is what it comes down to.

‘The best players in the world make the best decisions 99 per cent of the time.’

Murty insists the Rangers players have learned tough lessons from their last trip to Parkhead.

But he expects to see a different Celtic side, even stronger in certain areas, than in that 5-1 thrashing.

‘The game previously at Parkhead isn’t something to be fearful of or to shy away from,’ he told Rangers TV .‘It is something to learn from. If you are going to learn and move forward, then that is important.

‘I think Celtic have changed since then. They’ve evolved.

‘They’ve strengthened in certain areas. They do things slightly differently, so we have to just take what they are going to bring but understand that it’s going to be about us and how we manage our expectations of our group.

‘I’m a big believer in acknowledging what other teams are good at to prepare fully. So you look at what they’re good at and say: “Fantastic,” but then you say: “This is what they are going to try and do and this is where their strengths are”. Then you make the players and yourself accountable to what happens after that.’

Murty claims he has not given too much thought about taking the team at Parkhead for the biggest game of his fledgling coaching career.

But the interim boss — who became a social media hit after doing a headstand during defeat at Dundee — has vowed to keep his own emotions in check.

‘I’ve just been thinking about making sure we get this week right, making sure we get players rested and making sure we start to up the tempo of work right,’ he insisted.

‘The closer the game comes, the more I will have to look at it.

‘But I’ll just carry on and make sure the players get what they need, because I’m sure that if I’m in the dugout there will be loads of emotions washing through me.

‘I have to make sure that the players get what they need. When I walk away from this role and I do whatever role I’m going to do, I have to take that lesson away. That the players who walk on to the football pitch get what they need.

‘I’ve been guilty as a coach sometimes of being selfish and getting my frustrations out and you can’t do that.’