Jim Duffy shares ‘phenomenal’ Brendan Rodgers admission ahead of Rangers v Celtic showdown
Jim Duffy believes Brendan Rodgers has a “phenomenal” record in the Old Firm games ahead of the clash between Rangers and Celtic on Sunday (7 April).
Speaking on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on Tuesday (2 April), the pundit said the Hoops players know what to expect when they head into the match without any of their fans in the stadium, having already claimed a 1-0 victory at Ibrox earlier this season.
He believes Rodgers’s side have handled the situation with the supporters well in both of their previous meetings during this campaign compared to the Gers, adding that he expects them to have no concerns once again heading into the upcoming game.
“I think from Celtic’s point of view, they have been there and done it, the vast majority of the team,” said Duffy. “Whether it is 90 per cent or 80 per cent of their team, the manager has been there and done it. They are not going into unfamiliar territory, they know what to expect if they make a good pass or a good challenge, it will be total silence.
“If they score a goal, there’s going to be silence. Remember when they scored the goal at Ibrox the last time, it was almost as if you were wary of it getting chalked off because it’s so surreal. But the Celtic players are used to that and have handled it really well, and Rangers didn’t handle it, the expectation of their fans.
“They started the game really positively in terms of the atmosphere, but ultimately, they couldn’t manage to turn in a performance. At Celtic Park, again Celtic handled it better. Brendan Rodgers has got a phenomenal record in these fixtures. I don’t think there’s going to be any real concern from Celtic going into the match without fans.”
Rangers must handle crowd situation better against Celtic
The situation surrounding the fans can have a big influence on the game and the Rangers players must handle it better than they did in the previous two meetings.
While Celtic haven’t always been too convincing this season, a number of their players have a lot of experience in the fixture and know how to win.
But Philippe Clement will be looking for his side to be braver – and smarter – when the two sides go head-to-head again at Ibrox.
These types of games can often be more about how you handle the big moments mentality compared to what you actually do on the ball as a mistake could be detrimental.
It’s sure to be a huge occasion when the two sides take to the field and, given that there is only one point currently separating them, it’s hard to predict how this one will go.
In other Rangers news, a pundit has reacted to an accusation aimed at the SFA following an Old Firm development.
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