The Herald - Herald Sport

McGregor calls on rivals to show ‘what they’ve got’

- DAVID IRVINE

CELTIC captain Callum McGregor has thrown down the gauntlet to Rangers as he delivered a rallying cry to his team-mates.

The Scotland internatio­nalist has urged his side to do everything in their power to claim three points against Rangers in the crucial league clash this weekend.

Celtic currently sit three points clear in the title race and that could extend to six with just two games left should they triumph at Parkhead.

And McGregor, who has returned to the side in recent weeks after recovering from an Achilles issue, offered fighting talk in the build up to the fixture as he vowed few teams can match Celtic when they are fully firing.

Offering a challenge to Rangers, McGregor said “let’s see what they’ve got” as he demanded Celtic perform to their best tomorrow.

“I love them [derby matches],” McGregor told Celtic TV.

“If you don’t enjoy them then you’re going to struggle to play at a big club like this.

“So over the years, you build up more experience and when the games come around then you know when you’re in the middle of it, you have to enjoy it.

“You’ve got to enjoy the fight and the battle of it. Generally, when you do that, then you have positive experience­s.

“So we’ll definitely be trying to have another one of them.

“We’ve just got to stay calm and focus on doing our job. Sometimes you can become over emotional and you understand what the game means in the context of the season.

“But if we focus on our performanc­e and working as hard as we possibly can for each other and the supporters, then you know straight away the energy level goes up.

“When we take the game to a level and intensity that teams struggle to live with, that’s when we play our best football.

“So I think that the message for us is, focus on ourselves, work as hard as we possibly can for each and lets go and take the game to them and see what they’ve got.”

 ?? ?? Celtic captain Callum McGregor has recovered from Achilles issue
Celtic captain Callum McGregor has recovered from Achilles issue

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