Fatigue no excuse for Rangers at Celtic Park - Ferguson

Fatigue will not be an issue for Rangers in Sunday's derby with Celtic despite their extra-time exploits against Fenerbahce, insists interim head coach Barry Ferguson.

Rangers prevailed in a penalty shootout after losing 2-0 at Ibrox on Thursday to reach the Europa League quarter-finals.

Now they must regroup to meet the Scottish Premiership leaders, who they trail by 16 points.

"I won't use 120 minutes as any excuse for Sunday - the players are well looked after here," said Ferguson. "One or two had minor issues and we will see how they are tomorrow after today's recovery session.

"We've got some huge games coming up, some really tough games. Obviously, the one on Sunday, you don't get much tougher."

Celtic are within touching distance of retaining their title with games to spare.

However, Ferguson said: "There is still a lot to play for in terms of pride. As a footballer, these are the games you've got to look forward to.

"As a manager, I can't wait to go and sample it for the first time on the touchline. That'll be interesting."

Ferguson played in 40 Old Firm fixtures and says he always enjoyed the rivalry.

"It's a place I always like to go and play," the former midfielder and captain said of Celtic Park. "It's hostile. They're the sort of environments I like to go to.

"I want my players to go and embrace these stadiums. I'm sure I'll get a nice reception."

Rangers won the most recent derby 3-0 at Ibrox in early January but have not been successful in the east end of Glasgow since October 2020.

"It's too long," Ferguson said. "It's a tough place to go and get a result.

"We have a way of approaching the game that I think can get us a result. If that approach is not working then we can change it within the game as well.

"That's important to me. I've mentioned a number of times that we've not been flexible enough as a team. Now we're starting to get that because we've had a wee bit of time in the grass.

"I look forward to Sunday. We'll go and play a certain way that I believe, me and my staff believe, we can get the right result."

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