Rangers stars warned about Celtic clash – It WILL force Steven Gerrard transfer decisions

That’s according to former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson.

The Gers take on their bitter rivals at Celtic Park in a game which could end their season.

Defeat for Rangers would leave them 13 points behind the defending Scottish Premiership champions and all but conclude the title race, which has seen Gerrard’s charges go from level on points to 10 behind the Hoops in the space of only nine matches since the winter break.

Gerrard had been hoping to narrow the game to Celtic with the Light Blues having finished 10 points behind last season but there is a stark reality it could end up having widened by the end of the season.

The Liverpudlian is under increasing pressure with Rangers having also disappointed in cup competitions, being eliminated in the semi finals of the Scottish League Cup and the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup, both by Aberdeen.

Gerrard is only coming towards the end of his first season and has consistently preached that the club still need to make significant progress off of the field by making signings to improve on it.

And Ferguson – who made over 400 appearances for the Glasgow giants in his playing career – believes that those who do not perform against Celtic will be putting their futures at Ibrox at risk.

Ferguson wrote in his column for the Daily Record: “Steven Gerrard is about to discover which players are going to go forward with him and which ones aren’t.

“This is a massive test for every player wearing a light blue shirt and the manager will get a look to the future and see which ones will be with him next season.

“Apologies for the language but Gerrard’s team talk will be his easiest yet. He should ask his players who has the biggest balls and who wants to go toe-to-toe with the champions.

“Rangers must arrive at Celtic Park with their chests puffed out and be men. Gerrard will want his players to stand tall, be brave and have the mindset of wanting to shut a lot of people up.

“This is the lion’s den, it’s an intimidating place to play, I know that better than most. I’ve won there and lost heavily. But that atmosphere is what the Old Firm games are all about and we will see who can thrive in it and who goes into a shell.

“Sunday is yet another unbelievable occasion and it’s what you want to be involved in.

“It’s about blanking out everything else which is going on around you and believing you can do it.

“That’s the easiest thing to say but this is the game where Rangers can put down a marker to say they can live with Celtic, that they can handle the occasion and that they do want to move forward with the club under Gerrard.

“It all come down to attitude as there’s no point in turning up with anything less than an absolute belief they can win.

“I believe Gerrard’s done a good job, it’s just the disappointments he’s suffered during the games which have really mattered.

“There were the two games against Aberdeen which stand out when the players and the team let themselves down.

“But tomorrow is the acid test, who wants to go forward and become successful Rangers players?”

source: express.co.uk