Rangers boss Graeme Murty implores his players to put on a show for the fans

GRAEME MURTY believes a Rangers victory over Celtic today could give the club a long-term boost.

The Ibrox men have failed to defeat their Glasgow rivals in 10 attempts, and everyone associated with the club is feeling the pain.

Murty insists the confidence surge that would come with winning at Parkhead could transform the careers of some players.

He said: “It would be a massive step for them. A great step to take.

“That’s the mindset they have to have.

“For three games out of four this season, we’ve been right in the mix with them. If we can take another step past that, it would bode well, not only for the climax to this season, but also for these players taking that mindset into next season.

“Take the Hampden semi-final out
of it.

“The last two games at Parkhead, and the one at Ibrox, showed we are capable of winning against them.

“There are reasons we didn’t do it. We switched off, we lacked concentration and Craig Gordon made some good saves.

“But we were right in there with them.”

Would leading Rangers to a win at Celtic Park be the greatest moment of Murty’s time in charge of the club?

“Yes. No two ways about it,” he said.

“We’ve almost done it twice there. Could and possibly should have, but for some fantastic saves from their keeper.

“We have the opportunity to go there again and have a fantastic day.

“I want the players, when they cross the white line, not to take a backward step.

“I want them to represent themselves, and our manner of play, far, far better than we did at Hampden.

“I want guys who are desperate to go and fight for our shirt and our club.

“I want them to put on a right good show for our fans.

“Lots of things went wrong at Hampden – far too many to detail and far too many I’m not going to go into.

“The main part of it was that we lacked intensity.

“That’s not something you can level at this team generally.

“We have good tempo, we play at good pace. We didn’t do that.”

Murty has yet to suffer a defeat at Parkhead.

He was caretaker for a 1-1 draw in March, 2017 and was appointed full-time boss until the end of the season just before a 0-0 on December 30.

If, as expected, his time as Ibrox manager comes to an end in a fortnight, he could leave with the record of being undefeated at Celtic Park.

He said: “You know what? If I walk out of there today, and I’ve got still got that record with me, then it will be a fantastic plaudit.

“But it will be because our players have done something really well.

“That’s what we’re preparing for.

“I think there’s always a point to prove when people write you off before you even take the pitch.

“The players have been hurt by things that have been written and said after the defeat at Hampden.

“They were hurt by the way that we played.

“But I have seen stuff this week, and in the game against Hearts, that says we are heading towards the team that I know we can be.

“Things give me a positive outlook because I work with them and because we’ve done it previously.

“That’s what we’ve been talking about and reiterating – that we have to be capable of putting in a complete performance if we want to go and spoil their fun.”

There are so many questions about Rangers and their future.

Here’s a simple one  – can Alfredo Morelos finally score against Celtic?

The striker missed golden chances the last time out at Celtic Park, and sinned again in the previous League game at Ibrox.

Murty replied: “Maybe it will be Alfredo’s moment.

“If you listen to Jason Cummings, it’s definitely going to be Jason Cummings’ moment!”