Celtic captain Callum McGregor has ordered his squad to maintain their composure ahead of Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox following a mandatory police briefing on touchline behaviour.
The visitors will face an entirely hostile home crowd due to an away fan lockout. Manager Martin O’Neill confirmed Police Scotland delivered a 15-minute briefing to his players, issuing reminders on “general behaviour” following disorder during the Scottish Cup fixture in March.
As Rangers look to exploit this selection uncertainty, McGregor urged his teammates to ignore the hostility. Speaking to the Daily Record, he revealed new arrival Mika Baur had requested a briefing on the fixture.
“You have to be Celtic,” McGregor said, adding that the squad must “impose our style and tempo on the game, be as aggressive as we can be, and hopefully we’ll finish with the result that we want.”
O’Neill Weighs Up Goalkeeper Dilemma
Adding to the visitors’ volatility, O’Neill faces a late decision in goal. Summer loan signing Sam Johnstone debuted against St Johnstone on Wednesday, threatening Viljami Sinisalo’s starting role.
Speaking to the Irish Examiner, O’Neill confirmed: “I haven’t made my mind up at all. It was a matter of getting a look at what Sam can do.”
Rangers manager Derek McInnes must navigate a high-stakes defensive dilemma of his own to counter the unbeaten visitors. The hosts welcome Celtic to Govan on Sunday 20 September.
