Clement backing his men to reach their peak in the ‘game of the year’

RANGERS boss Philippe Clement has backed his players to produce one of their best performances of the season in what he feels could be the ‘game of the year’ against Celtic today.

The Old Firm rivals will clash at Ibrox in a high- noon showdown, with all to play for in a fiercelycontested title race.

Celtic currently lead the way by a point, but a Rangers victory this afternoon would nudge them ahead with a game in hand still to come against Dundee in midweek.

Clement has preached the need for calm if his players are to deliver what would be a seismic victory over their bitter rivals. But the Belgian stressed that they will need to be operating at their maximum level. Asked if he can replicate the pressure his team will be under in training, he said: ‘No, but you need to bring players in a lot of times to those situations in training.

‘It is not just a case of three or four days before a Celtic game we are going to suddenly do that and now it’s going to happen in a game.

‘No, it is about preparation for months to get players to this level of kind of games, like it was against Benfica, against Betis in Seville and Sparta Prague.’

On the need for players to show cool heads, Clement added: ‘It’s a tough balance. I don’t want players on the pitch running around like they’re really calm or they are on Valium or something before the game. That’s not the idea.

‘They need to be switched on but with a calm mind. It’s about being intense, good and sharp but with an overview and focus and not losing their concentration.

‘They have been doing that well now. You saw the difference in the Hibs game for the cup where, despite the tackles and things going on, we stayed calm.’

Although Clement refuted any suggestions the outcome could be decisive in the title race, he conceded that this could be ‘game of the year’.

He admits it outstrips anything he experienced in France whilst in charge of Monaco, whose main rivals were Nice. He experienced a few title tussles with Anderlecht when he was in charge of Club Brugge — and he feels this could be similar.

Clement will make a late call on the fitness of Ridvan Yilmaz. The Turkish left-back recently picked up a knock on international duty but has been back in light training.

Abdallah Sima is also fit to start after returning from injury against Hibs last week, but he is unlikely to last the full 90 minutes.

Clement will decide whether to start the Senegalese winger or utilise him from the bench, but he is expected to play some part.

This will be Clement’s second taste of the Old Firm derby, having lost 2-1 at Celtic Park back in late December. He admits there is a sense of mutual respect with Brendan Rodgers, but admitted that relationships are often parked to one side in Glasgow.

During his own playing career, Clement was managed by Gordon Strachan at Coventry City, with Strachan’s son Gavin now part of the Celtic coaching staff.

‘We don’t know each other really well,’ said Clement of Rodgers. ‘I met him at the Celtic game.

‘I have a lot of respect of course for that and all the things that he has achieved in his career.

‘We met at Hampden for the Scotland-Northern Ireland game.

‘We spoke shortly about that. But I know in the city it’s complex.

‘Gordon Strachan was my gaffer and I had a really good relationship with him. But it’s not allowed in Glasgow to have dinner together because his son works in the coaching staff at Celtic.

‘That’s a pity but I respect the city and I respect our fans. So we will keep it in the way it was.’