Bhoys win will bring benefit for Pearson
MOTHERWELL midfielder Stephen Pearson admits he is desperate for Celtic to lift the Scottish Cup this season — and it has nothing to do with the fact he used to star for the Parkhead side. Pearson is all too aware that if Ronny Deila’s team can overcome Rangers this weekend and then win the Final, it could result in a European place for the Steelmen. If Celtic win the league as expected and the Fir Park club keep their part of the bargain by finishing fourth in the Premiership, they would then qualify for the Europa League — which would represent an incredible outcome, considering they were staring the play-offs in the face only a few weeks ago. Pearson admits he has already had a quiet word with his former Derby County team-mate Kris Commons to try to make sure everything starts falling into place on Sunday. ‘I’ll have my Celtic hat on this weekend because if they win the Scottish Cup, it leaves it wide open for the team that finishes fourth to play in Europe,’ admitted the 33-year-old. ‘I know Kris Commons well. I played at Derby with him. I was chatting to him after our game last weekend and I’ve already said to him we need a favour, so he knows. ‘Obviously for Celtic it’s all about the bragging rights and reaching the Cup Final but they can help us, too. ‘Kris is a big-game player and I’m surprised he has not been playing. I don’t know if there has been something more there but, from speaking to Kris, he’s hopeful he can play. ‘He has the quality to score out of nothing — and in these big games it can often take that moment of brilliance to win. ‘He’s the type of player who can produce that bit of quality, so I’m sure most Celtic supporters would hope he’s in the team. ‘But they have Leigh Griffiths up front, who has been banging in the goals, so they’ll be looking to him to be their main man again. ‘I think it will be tighter than the last game (when Celtic beat Rangers 2-0 in last season’s League Cup semi-final). But I think Celtic will just shade it.’ LINDSAY HERRON