Rangers v Celtic: Intriguing Old Firm battle could hold key to title race

• Celtic's 2-0 win in last month's Old Firm clash at Ibrox sparked their current free-scoring form and makes them widely fancied to prevail again in tomorrow's Scottish Cup fifth-round tie Picture: Ian Georgeson

THERE are occasions when a Scottish Cup tie provides Rangers or Celtic with some respite from the pressures of the title race. Tomorrow's fifth-round collision of the Old Firm at Ibrox is not one of those occasions.

For, while the immediate prize on offer is a quarter-final place in the country's oldest competition, it is difficult to escape the wider potential significance for either club of winning a tie which is layered with intrigue.

For evidence of the momentum and confidence an Old Firm victory can supply for a group of players, there is no need to look any further than last month's Scottish Premier League fixture between the great rivals at Ibrox. Celtic crossed the city on 2 January having dropped nine points in their previous seven games and amid murmurings of a crisis looming for manager Neil Lennon. The 2-0 win they achieved that afternoon, in a manner as convincing as it was generally unpredicted, provided them with the spark for the current compelling and free-scoring form which makes them widely fancied to succeed again tomorrow.

Rangers' own results since then have been more than respectable, dropping only two points more than Celtic in the SPL, but the performance levels of Walter Smith's side have not been as eye-catching.

There is an unavoidable sense that Rangers are the team under more pressure to deliver a positive result tomorrow, not only to give their own campaign fresh impetus but to stall the head of steam being built up by Lennon's men. This is unquestionably a Scottish Cup tie which will have repercussions in the championship race.

As Rangers assistant manager Ally McCoist observed, it is also a fixture which neither side would have greeted with great enthusiasm when the fifth-round pairings were decided last month. With a Co-operative Insurance Cup final meeting between the teams having been booked since, a draw at Ibrox tomorrow would force a replay next month and an unprecedented seven Old Firm matches in one season.

"Being honest, when the draw was first made I'm not sure either club would be happy," said McCoist. "But then, we've got a home draw, the only thing you can really hope for in any cup competition.

"I can't speak for Celtic, but I would imagine they would rather the game was at Parkhead. I know that we had a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox not so long ago but at the same time it's a home draw, which is what you want. It just happens to be against our biggest rivals, but that's the way it goes, so let's get on with it.

"I think the worst thing that could happen is a draw. I don't think either of us particularly wants that. I know it didn't work out for us last time but let's hope we can go and win the game."

McCoist is relaxed about the plaudits Celtic have received in recent weeks and believes Rangers have recovered more than adequately from the setback of their New Year Old Firm loss.

"Make no mistake about it, we don't mind the focus of attention being far more on Celtic," he said. "We've done all right. Last time, we played well against Celtic in the first half and hit the bar, although we didn't create an awful lot. In the second half, defensively we were poor and Celtic played well.

"At Hearts, we played as well as we've played against anybody for four or five months but we lost that game. To be honest with you, we haven't played as well since we played at Tynecastle but we've won games, which is the most important thing.

"The defeat by Hearts was a disappointment but not a disaster. We've got over the disappointment of losing to Celtic in the league and I think we're back heading in the right direction. We're all appreciative of the fact that there's a long, long way to go. It's stating the obvious, but the Old Firm games coming up will have a great bearing on both the Cup and the league title.

"Celtic have been going well. I watched their game the other night, which was difficult to gauge with Aberdeen getting a man sent off in the first minute. But I also watched them defeat Aberdeen 4-1 in the Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final. Celtic are going all right and have handled the difficulty of having their central defenders out injured recently.

"Neil Lennon is doing fine there and, to be honest, I didn't have any doubt that he would handle it well. It's obviously not an easy job and it takes a bit of time, but I think the majority of Celtic fans would say it's a work in progress and that Neil is doing fine."

Celtic's central defensive options have increased this week with Daniel Majstorovic, Thomas Rogne and Glenn Loovens all back in training, although the form of makeshift pairing Charlie Mulgrew and Mark Wilson will allow Lennon to temper a decision to rush any of them back into action.

The availability of Georgios Samaras, sidelined for the past month by a hamstring injury, is perhaps even more of a boost for Celtic, given the Greek striker's excellent display in the recent 2-0 win at Ibrox. Lennon provided evidence of telling tactical nous that day with his deployment of Samaras as a lone striker in a 4-4-1-1 formation which flummoxed Smith's side.

The capture of winger Kris Commons, to the dismay of Rangers who were thwarted in their bid for the Scotland international, gives Lennon yet another card to play.

The signing of El-Hadji Diouf can at least give Rangers a different dimension this time, however, given the Senegalese player's versatility across the attacking midfield and forward positions. Smith's biggest problem will be in coping with the likely absence of Lee McCulloch, so often the fulcrum of Rangers' formation in these fixtures.

There is likely to be a selection curveball thrown by both managers as they seek a victory which would mean so much more than just qualification for the last eight of the Scottish Cup. With so much at stake, it would be no surprise if matters remain unsettled and both teams have their name entered in tomorrow's quarter-final draw.