Rangers icon calls for 'aggression' for Old Firm Derby as players urged to make Celtic 'hate' playing at Ibrox

Rangers legend Barry Ferguson has called for ‘aggression’ from his old side in Sunday’s League Cup quarter final clash at home to rivals Celtic.

With no away fans allowed in for the fixture, the only representatives for the visitors present at Ibrox will be the Celtic players and staff. Ferguson believes Rangers could, and should use this to their advantage by not giving their opponents a minute from the get-go.

A place at Hampden in the semi-finals is at stake for the winner for the first opportunity for silverware of the season. Rangers have won their last five domestically, while Celtic have started the campaign with a 100% win record. It’s for this reason Ferguson thinks they’ll have to be taken out of their stride.

Rangers to channel ‘aggression’ in Old Firm

The former Rangers captain certainly wasn’t one to shirk a tackle during his playing days and is keen to see his team show similar fight this weekend - but for it to be channelled in the right way. In his Daily Record column, he wrote: “What’s the key to Rangers knocking Celtic out of the League Cup quarter-finals this weekend? That’s a lot simpler than you might think and it can be summed up in one word. Aggression.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting for a minute they should set out to kick their rivals off the pitch or send people five feet up in the air. That’s not the kind of aggression I’m talking about. No, I’m talking about a Rangers team that sets out to knock Celtic out of their stride. To chase after them, press them and harass them for every ball. To force them on to the back foot from the first minute and make life so chaotic for them out there that they are struggling to catch a breath.”

Rangers should make Celtic ‘hate’ Ibrox - Ferguson

The Light Blues weren’t able to get the better of Celtic in any of their three Old Firm fixtures at Ibrox last season. The sides drew twice in the league, while the visitors’ emerged by way of a penalty shoot out victory in March’s Scottish Cup despite a 120 minute Rangers onslaught. Ferguson is getting bored of Celtic having things their own way in Govan.

He continued: “To tell you the truth, I’m sick of watching Celtic sides come to Ibrox and enjoy themselves out there. It’s happened way too often over the years and that is a big reason why they’ve been so dominant for so long. Put it this way, if you’re wearing a green and white shirt inside that stadium tomorrow, you should be made to hate every single second of it.”

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