Wednesday 9 March 2016 23:22, UK
Sky Sports pundit Neil McCann says a section of the Celtic support will have worries ahead of their Scottish Cup semi-final against Championship side Rangers.
And McCann is confident his former Rangers side will give a better account of themselves than they did in the previous clash between the clubs when Celtic won 2-0 in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden last season.
McCann, a five-time winner of the Scottish Cup, told Sky Sports News HQ: "There are some Celtic fans right now who will be a little bit worried and there will be some Rangers fans in the same camp, but I think this will be a closer game than people expect. I really do.
"I don't think Rangers are in a place where maybe they met them the last time, Celtic were really strong then."
Celtic beat Morton 3-0 in Sunday's 12 noon kick-off, scoring all three goals in the opening 35 minutes, before easing off in the second half with progress to the last four virtually assured. The result lifted the mood around Celtic Park following the scoreless draw with a Dundee side which lost 11 goals in their previous two trips to the venue.
Elsewhere, Dundee were soundly beaten 4-0 by Rangers in Saturday's Scottish Cup quarter-final, as Mark Warburton's side claimed their biggest scalp of the season.
"Celtic are struggling in the league and I did the game yesterday against Morton, and although the result was a comfortable 3-0 victory I thought in the second half they struggled," McCann said.
"The stadium is not full by any stretch of the imagination, the fans are a little bit disillusioned by how the team are playing and they are lacking confidence.
"Rangers absolutely dismantled Dundee on Saturday, who are in fifth position in the Premiership in Scotland, a really solid settled side within that division, and they just took them apart.
"Mark Warburton has got Rangers playing some lovely football, but for the first time I thought Rangers looked ridiculously fit, sharp, and they looked the Premier League outfit, which is worrying."
McCann concedes Celtic will provide a sterner challenge to Warburton's side on the weekend of April 16-17.
But he is convinced Ronny Deila would rather have avoided the Championship promotion favourites after the Celtic boss guided his team into a fourth semi-final in two seasons.
Celtic are currently four points clear of title challengers Aberdeen in the club's quest for a fifth successive title, but following two consecutive draws in the Premiership critics have again questioned Deila's position.
McCann said: "Realistically you look at the club, you look at Celtic sitting top of the table, but they are not playing brilliantly though. The fans are voting with their feet as I said.
"Dundee went to Celtic Park and made lots of changes, left a couple of their big hitters off and drew 0-0 with Celtic at Celtic Park, and then Rangers absolutely took them apart at full strength.
"Now I know that's not a definitive answer to say then that Rangers will go and beat Celtic because I'm not saying that, but what I will say is it's a very close contest now.
"When this game comes round Celtic fans will be hoping they are in a better position and better confidence, but they are not playing well at the minute, and Ronny Deila is under extreme pressure, so he would not have been looking for this draw."
Fellow Sky Sports pundit Andy Walker cautiously welcomed the match, insisting Rangers are in a better position to give Celtic more of a game than they did when the sides met last spring.
Speaking to Sky Sports News HQ the former Celtic striker said: "I appreciate there is an ugly side to the game that a lot of people can do without, but having been born and bred in Glasgow and growing up as a Celtic supporter, the highs and lows of that fixture will live with me forever.
"Scottish football hasn't been the same. You've got to say it was completely and utterly Rangers' fault, their spectacular mismanagement that led them into administration and liquidation. But I think they are a much better team now than they were the last time Celtic and Rangers played in the League Cup semi-final."
Walker believes Rangers may have to look beyond any possible victory over Celtic, and offer the financial backing chairman Dave King promised the club would give Warburton.
"Mark Warburton has put together a squad, quite a tight squad, he's got them playing really good football," Walker said.
"The one problem for Rangers will be trying to keep Mark Warburton onside because Dave King has spoken a lot about investing in the team, nothing has come of that of late, Mark Warburton has got a terrific reputation down south.
"When you look at some of the clubs in the Championship, who are desperate to be part of the Premier League, clubs like Derby and others, no wonder they will cast their eye to Mark Warburton knowing he has already done a great job at Brentford."
