McCoist: Players will be ready

Rangers manager Ally McCoist insists he has no fears about being able to raise his players for the Old Firm game despite their dreadful preparation for the clash against Celtic.

The Scottish champions had hoped to strengthen their grasp on top spot in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League ahead of the trip to Parkhead, but instead slumped to a 2-1 defeat at St Mirren on Christmas Eve. Rangers could also be without Lee McCulloch and Dorin Goian on Wednesday night, after both players were shown red cards against Saints.

"I can assure you we will be ready for the game, I can guarantee you that," said McCoist. "It's going to be a tough game but we will be ready and the players won't need lifted for that one because it's a big, big game."

Although disappointed by the two red cards, McCoist believes he has enough options to fill the gap.

He added: "I won't lie to you, it's not ideal. But we've got one or two other things we can do. We've got Kyle Bartley and Kirk Broadfoot and Davie Weir and boys like that.

"As disappointing as it is, and we would rather not have that situation, it's not something that we can't handle."

Rangers were 15 points clear of Celtic on November 5, although Neil Lennon's men were in action the following day and still had two games in hand at that time.

The gap between the Old Firm rivals now sits at just a single point, with the title race impossible to call.

When it was put to McCoist that the momentum is now with Celtic, he said: "The truth of the matter is I would rather be a point ahead than a point behind. Of that there is no doubt.

"I take where you are coming from, Celtic are on a good run of form at the moment in terms of victories. But it counts for absolutely nothing."