Gerrard hopes to prey on a lack of experience
STEVEN GERRARD hopes Rangers can take advantage should any of Celtic’s defensive debutants dither in their first plunge into the deep end of the Old Firm fixture.
Neil Lennon’s back line has been unsettled all summer with a host of new arrivals finding their feet following the departures of experienced and high-class performers.
Today the Celtic manager could have as many as three new signings in his back four sampling the away derby test for the first time — Christopher Jullien, Boli Bolingoli and Moritz Bauer.
If Kristoffer Ajer doesn’t recover from the groin injury suffered against AIK in Sweden on Thursday, Lennon will field an entirely different back five to the one which started the last time Celtic beat their old foes.
Scott Bain, Mikael Lustig, Dedryck Boyata, Kieran Tierney and Ajer provided the foundation for the 2-1 victory at Parkhead five months ago.
Gerrard has noted the prospect of Lennon throwing his new defensive arrivals into the Ibrox atmosphere and said: ‘It can work both ways for individuals.
‘Some come in and have no fear and really just take to it. On the other hand, it’s the type of fixture that’s different from the rest.
‘The atmosphere is different. And I’m sure they’ll have experienced a different build-up. So that, of course, has to come into our thinking. But it’s difficult to predict the line-up. We’ll need to see what Neil puts in front of us.’
Lennon has claimed that his work to progress the overall Celtic squad has been overlooked in the clamour to praise the improvement in Rangers so far this season.
However, his opposite number is well aware of the changes made that have created an explosive and dangerous Celtic team visiting Govan today.
‘We still know that Celtic come as a fantastic team with really good players,’ said Gerrard. ‘They are in a good place, playing with confidence and scoring heavily.
‘Just because we have more belief and confidence about ourselves doesn’t mean our respect for Celtic changes.
‘We still know they are the team to beat. But if we perform close to our maximum, any team that comes to Ibrox are going to find it tough to beat us.’
Gerrard began to mull over who to let loose on the visiting defence after on-form Alfredo Morelos scored his eighth Europa League qualifying goal of the season on Thursday.
Jermain Defoe led the line when strikes from James Tavernier and Scott Arfield clinched the second home Glasgow derby victory of the season for Rangers last April.
Morelos was introduced only for the final 10 minutes of that fixture as he felt his way back into the team following a four-match suspension. The Colombian was hit with his last ban of 2018-19 for being sent off in the Celtic Park defeat on March 31. Today will mark the acid test of the 23-year-old’s apparent new-found temperament which has kept him out of disciplinary troubles so far this season.
Gerrard confirmed Morelos will feature at some stage, if he doesn’t get the nod ahead of Defoe to start. ‘If selected, it will be all eyes on Alfredo again,’ said the Ibrox boss. ‘I’m sure he knows that. All he has to do is keep playing the right way as he’s in great form.
‘He doesn’t have get involved in anything untoward or let anyone wind him up. He just has to focus on what he has to do for the team, like he did on Thursday to come out the hero.’ Jordan Jones, whose superb delivery provided the assist for Morelos to head Rangers into the Europa League group stages, is a prime candidate to be promoted from a substitute’s role.
Gerrard confirmed: ‘He’s in my thinking. He came up with the exquisite cross for the goal. Some of the people on the bench on Thursday are in my thinking.’