Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Clement says Old Firm clash ‘not a title fight’
RANGERS boss Philippe Clement insists tomorrow’s Old Firm game at Ibrox will not be decisive in terms of the cinch Premiership title race.
With eight fixtures remaining, the Light Blues are one point behind reigning champions Celtic with a game in hand.
Rangers lost 1-0 to Celtic at Ibrox in September when Michael Beale was in charge and went down 2-1 at Celtic Park in December in Clement’s first experience of a Glasgow derby, and there will be another Old Firm game at Celtic Park after the split.
However, the Belgian somewhat played down the significance of tomorrow’s lunchtime clash in Govan.
“It is always a big game, it is a six-point game and we know we have another one in a few weeks but it is not yet a decisive game,” said Clement, who revealed that left-back Ridvan Yilmaz, who injured himself on international duty with Turkey, will be assessed for his fitness.
“So whoever wins is not champions. It is not like that. I am happy with what I have seen from my team after the last Old Firm game.
“We have had 11 games until now and we took 30 points from 33 and we could have taken
more points in the Motherwell game, it could have been better than that and we scored more goals than Celtic in that period and less goals against.
“So that is really good consistency but not a guarantee for anything.
“Bigger squad, better results, more people ready to do the job so I see my team growing month by month and this is the next challenge.
“But don’t forget this – there are still a lot of games to play, not only the two Old Firm games.”
Clement also believes there will be no psychological impact on his players regardless of the result.
He said: “No, because my message has been really clear from the beginning. I don’t want a team that after a disappointment stay in the disappointment and they have proven that, not too much because we haven’t had too much disappointment.
“And I don’t want a team that when they have a really good moment like it was in Seville (beat Real Betis 3-2) that they stay in that emotion and the next game they are not there.”
On Yilmaz’s condition, Clement said: “He has been training but not enough with the team to ensure he is in the squad. (Abdallah) Sima is fit enough to start but not to play 90 minutes.”