The 'defining' Rangers factor in clash with Celtic pinpointed as 'must-not' lose label addressed

Kevin Thomson believes a fast, high-tempo start can be key to former club Rangers defeating Celtic in Sunday's Old Firm clash at Ibrox.

The reigning Scottish champions go into the game trailing their rivals by three points.

Rangers have been guilty of going behind in matches recently but a start, similar to Celtic’s in the previous derby, is imperative.

"That's the key – to be on the front foot,” Thomson told Sky Sports. “The energy Celtic showed in the first half in the previous game at Celtic Park was second to none and they blew Rangers away.

Kevin Thoms in action for Rangers against Celtic. Picture: SNS

"I think Rangers have got the capabilities of doing exactly that to Celtic – and the crowd is going to be massive. The atmosphere, the build-up, the energy that can be produced at Ibrox is unbelievable and the players are going to need that.

"Ultimately they are going to need to give the fans something to get excited about. If they can start really sharp and be on the front foot, early tackles, early chances, imposing themselves on the game as quickly as possible could be a defining factor in the game."

Thomson understands the pressure on both sets of players but recognises that a win for the away side means it “really could be curtains for Rangers” and their title ambitions.

"It doesn't need to be a must-win, although any Rangers player will tell you, you need to win every game, so they'll approach it in that manner,” he said.

"I think their form has been good. Gio needs a lot of plaudits for the European run but the harsh reality is when you're a Rangers player you're always defined by whether you get your hands on that league medal at the end of the season.

"They'll know how big it is. They've been [over] the course last year, they know what it's like to win titles now, so there's experience in the camp.

"Ange needs a lot of credit for how he's turned Celtic around [and] the style of play. It's going to be an intriguing match-up because they're both attacking and they both score lots of goals, and I think both of them can be vulnerable at times at the back, so it's going to be interesting to see how it pans out."

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