Rangers vs Celtic: Philippe Clement insists season isn’t over as Brendan Rodgers guarantees league leaders will not soften | Soccer information

Philippe Clement insists Rangers’ season isn’t over forward of Thursday’s Previous Agency conflict, whereas Brendan Rodgers vowed Celtic will not ‘soften’ regardless of main 14 factors within the Premiership Scottish.

The newest opus of this luminaire – reside on Sky Sports activities – comes weeks after the 2 met in a controversial League Cup closing that Celtic won on penalties.

Clement insists the defeat at Hampden Park proves Rangers can beat the champions, one thing the Scottish FA’s head of refereeing later admitted. they should have gotten a penalty in overtime whereas the rating was 3-3.

Nevertheless, if the Belgian needs to stage a much-needed victory on this match, he could have to take action with out captain James Tavernier who joined a growing list of injured.

Clément: We’ve got to show they’ll beat Celtic

“We deserved to win [the last match against Celtic]we had the perfect alternatives and different circumstances too,” mentioned Clément Sky Sports activities Information.

“The workforce confirmed it. It is about displaying it once more and taking the three factors.”

Requested if some followers have been proper to assume the season was already over due to Celtic’s lead within the league, he added: “No, after all. [that is] not [the case].

“We are going to struggle for each match and each consequence. It’s everybody’s obligation and likewise what everybody needs.

“It is a new workforce, with a brand new long-term challenge, with younger gamers who’re enhancing. It is about having the starvation and the will to win each recreation. That is the explanation to be from this membership and that may by no means change.”

Rangers come into the sport having misplaced at St Mirren after which drawn in opposition to Motherwell, with Clement including: “Everybody who noticed the 2 video games in opposition to Motherwell and St Mirren – we have been the workforce that deserved to win these video games with as many alternatives as we had.

“We should be extra medical and environment friendly and the luck must drop greater than in these video games.”

Rodgers: Celtic won’t soften

The champions, in the meantime, are unbeaten of their final 27 league matches, however Rodgers insists they’re taking nothing without any consideration in opposition to a Gers aspect who’re coming underneath hearth from their very own supporters.

“Look, we’ll at all times take the strain,” the Northern Irishman mentioned. “We put strain on ourselves in each recreation to win and win nicely. So nothing modifications in that side.

“We at all times keep humble in preparation for video games. Individuals have a look at the hole, however that does not even come into it. We will not soften, we can’t soften.

“We are going to play for the following recreation as a result of we all know how a lot this recreation means to individuals.

“I went there final season, within the first match, underneath strain and all the things. Now I’m going there with 14 factors… however there isn’t a change for us, the mentality is to go carry out and attempt to play our recreation.

“This strain will at all times be there and particularly a match at Ibrox with out followers.”

Having grown up in a Celtic-friendly household in Antrim, Rodgers is aware of how a lot this recreation means to supporters, whatever the standings.

“I perceive the sport – I understood it as a fan – and I understood it from the primary recreation I performed as a coach in September 2016,” he mentioned. “I loved each one among them. The developments that come from them are at all times nice.

“There’s at all times some kind of strain. I hear about ‘useless rubber’. There’s by no means a Rangers-Celtic recreation that is a useless rubber – not in my e-book.

“You wish to win each recreation and also you wish to play at the perfect stage. For me, I really like the event, I really like the sport – it is an iconic recreation and one I at all times wish to win.”

Rodgers has often gained them, 16 in whole, and suffered only one defeat in 20 derbies. Victory on Thursday would imply he has a career-best 17 wins in opposition to Aberdeen and the Gentle Blues, greater than in opposition to another membership.

Watch the Previous Agency conflict reside on Sky Sports activities Soccer and Most important Occasion from 2pm on Thursday January 2, kick-off at 3pm.