Dundee manager Tony Docherty kept his “laser focus” on Saturday’s trip to Pittodrie as he dodged questions about the Dens Park pitch and the controversy over the second postponement of their game with Rangers.

Docherty’s side will clinch a cinch Premiership top-six place if they beat Aberdeen and a draw would suffice if Motherwell get a result against Hibernian at Fir Park.

Defeat for Dundee would put off confirmation of the make-up of the top and bottom six until the game with Rangers finally goes ahead.

The match is now scheduled for Wednesday, but alternatives are being discussed between the clubs and the Scottish Professional Football League.

When asked what state the pitch was in following the latest call-off on Wednesday due to a waterlogged surface, Docherty said in a media conference: “I really don’t know. I’ve not been anywhere near the pitch. We are in the Gardyne training facility and that’s where I have been for the last two days preparing for the Aberdeen game on Saturday.”

Rangers accused Dundee of “negligence” after the postponement and Hibernian are reported to have complained to the SPFL given Docherty’s side may go into their final pre-split game knowing what they need to achieve.

The Dundee manager refused to get involved in the furore.

“In my capacity as football manager, all I can affect is my role as football manager and it’s incumbent upon me to make sure I prepare a team for the matches that are upcoming,” he said.

“So anything outwith that, I can’t affect other teams, I can’t comment on other teams, I wouldn’t comment on other teams.”

When asked about the prospect of facing Rangers at a neutral venue next Wednesday, Docherty said: “There is nothing I can do about that, I can’t affect that. I can affect the Aberdeen game and that’s where my laser focus is. Nothing can distract us from that.”

Dundee’s previous game against Motherwell was the subject of similar uncertainty and talks over alternative venues and dates before it went ahead following a late inspection last Saturday, the visitors winning 3-2 after Dundee went 2-0 up.

Docherty said: “Of course it can be unsettling because you prepare for every game. We have had five call-offs. You prepare for every game in terms of game plan, selection of players. But players quickly move on and I quickly move on. That’s gone now, that’s in the past.

“It’s incumbent upon me as manager to make sure there is a laser focus now towards the Aberdeen game and that’s what me, my players and my staff have got. The next game is the most important game and something that we are very focused on.

“It’s huge testament to this group of players, as the newly-promoted team and the youngest squad in the league… Seventeen of the squad have made their Premiership debut this season, of that 11 are under 21. It’s huge testament to the group that we are a win away from that (top six) and it’s advantage us because it’s in our hands.

“I need to give them great praise for that and I want to see them sprint across that finish line.”

John Souttar will put Euro 2024 aims on the backburner as he looks forward to a potentially thrilling finale to the domestic season with Rangers.

The Light Blues already have the Viaplay Cup in the Ibrox trophy room and will play Hearts in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday week.

Philippe Clement’s side are also chasing cinch Premiership leaders Celtic at the top of the table as they prepare for the trip to Ross County on Sunday and while the summer offers the possibility to go to the European Championships in Germany with Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad, the Gers defender is looking no further than Dingwall.

The 27-year-old said: “To be honest, my full focus is on Rangers. It is massive for us at the end of the season, there are six, seven weeks left and everyone knows what is at stake. So for me, the full focus is on every game.

“I know it is cliche but it is so important we go into every game with full concentration and full belief in what we have been doing for the last months since the gaffer came in.

“We stick to everything that has got us in this position and the rest will take care of itself.”

After an injury-ravaged first season at Ibrox following his move from Hearts, Souttar is pleased to have racked up 35 appearance for Rangers this season so far.

“Everyone knows last season for me was far from ideal and it wasn’t what I dreamed of when I signed here,” he said.

“But this season, so far, I have made up probably for lost time in the games that I have played and the minutes I have had on the pitch.

“I think towards the end of the season I will look back in the summer and how we have finished the season and hopefully it is a great end.

“I will be doing everything I can personally and everyone in the changing room will be collectively to make sure it is one we can remember for the rest of our lives.”

Philippe Clement insists Rangers are prepared to play their twice-postponed game against Dundee behind closed doors – and even on Mars – after a proposal to fulfil the fixture on Thursday was rejected.

The Govan club accused Dundee of “negligence and unprofessionalism” after their cinch Premiership match at Dens Park was called off again on Wednesday night.

The game has been rescheduled for next Wednesday night after referee Don Robertson deemed the waterlogged pitch unplayable following a second inspection of the day at 3.30pm.

It is the second time the game has been postponed – the first came last month, 90 minutes before the scheduled kick-off – but the Gers boss revealed there will be a decision made at 12pm next Tuesday and his side will be ready to play without any supporters at an alternative venue.

“I was ready for everything and we were ready to play,” said Clement, who revealed midfielder Mohamed Diomande will miss the game at Ross County on Sunday after having an operation on his thumb having sustained the injury against Celtic last weekend.

“It is a long-time problem and a second time for us that it has been postponed,” Clement added.

“It could have been avoided by playing at another venue somewhere else because everyone knew what the situation was.

“That could have been avoided last week by taking a decision earlier or we play at another venue.

“We were even prepared to play today, so soon before the Ross County game.

“We offered that option but it was not accepted apparently, so it will be next week. It was not possible to play today at another venue.

“I don’t think the option was there (to play before Celtic game). Dundee needed time to fix their pitch to play Motherwell.

“The last thing I heard was that we will know on Tuesday at 12 o’clock at the latest where we will play on Wednesday.

“If not Dundee it will need to be somewhere else, but we must know before we travel on Tuesday.

“It is a disadvantage (behind closed doors) but it is what it is, we have to adapt, like when it was Covid and we didn’t like that.

“But our mindset is whatever decisions are made, we go to win games. So no excuses around that.

“If that is the decision, we will play behind closed doors. If they ask us to play on Mars, we go to Mars, we take a flight to win the three points. That is the mindset of me and all my players.”

Dundee United have trolled their next-door neighbours after Dundee blamed climate change for a raft of postponements.

Dundee club secretary Eric Drysdale pointed to the impact of global weather issues after their cinch Premiership encounter with Rangers was postponed on Wednesday night for a second time.

United used their official X account to take a light-hearted dig at their city rivals as they posted photographs of Jim Goodwin and his squad training on their pitch ahead of their cinch Championship encounter with Morton at a sunny Tannadice.

The caption read: “The perfect climate for #MORUTD fine-tuning”, and was followed by a sunshine emoji.

The two clubs’ grounds are about 200 yards apart.

United recently advertised for a new head groundsperson with the previous incumbent, Paul Murray, set to move to Dundee in the summer, with the Premiership club relying on contractors in recent weeks.

Dundee have had five postponements this season due to a waterlogged pitch and Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell claimed parts of the surface were unplayable after his side’s win at Dens Park on Saturday, which only went ahead after a second, late inspection.

Speaking after Wednesday’s postponement, Drysdale pointed to bad luck with home fixtures coinciding with storms.

And he added on Sky Sports News: “I can understand that people are annoyed and are looking at this as being Dundee’s fault.

“What I would say is that, from the research that we’ve done in the last few days, we note that this year’s rainfall is 35 per cent higher than the last 10 years’ average.

“That shows the effects that climate change is having on it and it appears we need to urgently do more work on the Dens Park pitch and we are absolutely up for doing that in the summer.”

Another Dundee-based team had a cheeky dig at the Premiership club, whose ground is sponsored by Scot Foam.

Writing on Facebook ahead of a cup tie at the Riverside playing fields in the city on Wednesday evening, the Tayside Fire Brigade AFC, who play in the Dundee Saturday Morning Football League, said: “Fortunately for us the game is not at the Scot Foam tonight therefore, the game goes ahead.”

Rangers have accused Dundee of “negligence and unprofessionalism” after their cinch Premiership match at Dens Park was postponed again.

The game has been rescheduled for next Wednesday night – April 17, with an 8pm kick-off – after referee Don Robertson deemed the waterlogged pitch unplayable following a second inspection of the day at 3.30pm.

It is the second time the game has been postponed – the first came last month, 90 minutes before the scheduled kick-off.

It is also the fifth time Dundee’s pitch has fallen foul of the weather this season and Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell claimed his side’s game on Saturday should not have gone ahead after the pitch passed a 1pm inspection.

Rangers have written to the Scottish Professional Football League, who may have to delay the publication of the post-split fixtures with Dundee, Motherwell and Hibernian all in the running for the final top-six place.

A statement read: “The negligence and unprofessionalism demonstrated by Dundee Football Club, where they have repeatedly breached SPFL rules, continues to have a damaging effect on the top professional league in the country.

“In a week where record TV viewing figures were recorded for a match in the same competition and this evening’s game due to be televised again by Sky Sports, this episode is deeply embarrassing and has also been eminently avoidable.

“Rangers expects the SPFL to take proportionate and decisive action in accordance with its rules and the club will continue to make representations to them in the strongest possible manner.

“The club has been repeatedly putting forward solutions to the SPFL, which have not been taken up. It has again proposed a solution to the preparation and execution of this rescheduled fixture and is awaiting a response from the SPFL.

“The club considers that this matter has been handled incorrectly throughout by both Dundee and the SPFL.

“At this time, we sympathise fully once again with our supporters, approximately 4,000 of whom were looking forward to attending tonight’s game.

“Having already been left hugely inconvenienced and out of pocket by the first postponement last month, it is entirely unacceptable and disrespectful on the part of Dundee FC to have allowed this situation to have developed again.”

Dundee claimed one section of the pitch was the problem.

Their statement read: “Thank you to all of our wonderful supporters, staff and contractors who have helped us with the pitch in the last week. Unfortunately one area of the pitch was deemed unplayable due to the heavy rain this afternoon.”

Dundee will secure a top-six place on Saturday if they beat Aberdeen at Pittodrie and even a draw could suffice if Motherwell get a result against Hibernian, but otherwise the fixtures will need to wait.

SPFL chief operating officer Calum Beattie declared that both clubs had been informed of the prospect of an April 17 game last month should the match be postponed a second time.

Beattie added: “In the last week we have explored other possible options with both clubs but none of them were deemed to be better than our original contingency plan.

“This decision gives this vital fixture the very best chance of being played in front of both sets of supporters and also gives us a week to finalise further contingency planning in the event that the weather unexpectedly deteriorates in the interim.

“There is currently an ongoing disciplinary process regarding pitch issues at Dens Park and the latest developments will form part of those enquiries.”

Rangers’ cinch Premiership match against Dundee has been postponed for a second time after the Dens Park pitch failed another inspection.

The game has been rescheduled for next Wednesday night, April 17, with an 8pm kick-off.

Referee Don Robertson passed the pitch fit after an 11am inspection but a further check failed following several hours of rain with the decision announced just before 4pm.

Footage showed the ball failing to bounce in certain areas after Robertson threw it into the air.

The postponement could delay the publication of the remaining Premiership fixtures as the league is due to split into two after the weekend games.

A decision on the cinch Premiership clash between Rangers and Dundee has been put back until later on Wednesday.

Referee Don Robertson passed the Dens Park pitch after an 11am inspection, but a further check is planned.

A statement from the home club read: “Following this morning’s scheduled pitch inspection the match referee has decided that the pitch is currently playable.

“However, with rain forecast for later today both clubs and the league have agreed for a further pitch inspection to take place at 3.30pm today.”

The game has already been postponed once – 90 minutes before it was due to kick off last month – and the visiting club called for an early decision.

A statement read: “Rangers has continued to insist that a final decision is made as early as possible for our travelling supporters and fully understands the inconvenience this continues to cause.”

Four games have been postponed at Dens Park already this season and Motherwell manager Stuart Kettlewell claimed “four or five areas” of the pitch were not playable after his side’s 3-2 win there on Saturday.

That game only went ahead after a second pitch inspection at 1pm with visiting fans already on the road when confirmation came through.

Rangers manager Philippe Clement labelled the uncertainty “crazy” on the eve of the game despite Dundee managing director John Nelms claiming he was as “confident as we can be” that the game would go ahead.

Rangers are looking to go top of the table, while Dundee are aiming to secure a top-six place ahead of the split, which is due to take place after this weekend’s fixtures.

However, a postponement later on Wednesday would delay the publication of the remaining fixtures.

Philippe Clement said Rangers faced a “crazy situation” as they prepared to travel to Dundee still unsure whether Wednesday night’s game would go ahead.

The cinch Premiership clash at the Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park was rescheduled after it was contentiously called off 90 minutes before kick-off last month.

Dundee’s home game against Motherwell on Saturday was allowed to take place after a second pitch inspection, with the Fir Park club stating before their 3-2 comeback win they were “deeply concerned for the welfare of all players”.

Dundee managing director John Nelms told Sky Sports he was as “confident as we can be” the Rangers game would go ahead but pointed to April 16 or 17 as a contingency plan.

Gers boss Clement, whose side will leapfrog Celtic at the top of the table with a win, would prefer an early decision and said he was comfortable with the game being switched to a neutral ground to get it played before the split, saying: “In these circumstances it can be a logical choice.”

“It is a crazy situation in a top league that you don’t know the day before if the game is on or not,” said the Belgian, who confirmed Ridvan Yilmaz remained out with a knock and midfielder Ryan Jack had had a setback with a calf problem that could end his season.

“So that is a really weird situation. Okay, it can happen in extreme circumstances, but I don’t think it has happened in the last few years in all the top leagues.

“But now there is a problem every time it is raining in Scotland and it’s not that there are normally a lot of sunny days in Scotland.

“It is a bad situation for the league and for Dundee themselves, I don’t think they are happy with the situation.

“I haven’t seen the pitch, but it was clear when we were there the last time that it was dangerous for both sides and it was not playable, but I am not the one who decides, it is the referee who decides.

“I want a decision today because you want to prepare, but both clubs and the league are in talks about that.

“If it is not possible you want to see what the alternative is. We don’t have much time because there is a split in the league. These things give a bad image to the league and it needs to be solved.

“If you want to play in Dundee next week, what is going to happen if it rains next week? Strange for me because every time it rains there is a problem.”

As his squad got ready to travel to their hotel near Dundee on Tuesday afternoon, Clement asked for a decision to be made the day before the scheduled kick-off.

He said: “If we cannot play tomorrow, when are we going to play? Thursday?

“If it is Thursday I would like to know today so we can train tomorrow.

“If the decision is made tomorrow evening, we have one afternoon, evening in a hotel near to Dundee for nothing.

“I understand that games are cancelled in the last minutes, last hours in special weather circumstances, but this is something that is repeated every time it is raining so I think you can make an assessment today.”

Clement said there was a “big chance” long-term absentees Danilo and Oscar Cortes would not return before the end of the season.

Cyriel Dessers believes Rangers can get the Celtic Park win they might need in the final Old Firm cinch Premiership game of the season.

The Gers striker described Sunday’s 3-3 draw at Ibrox as “one of the craziest games of my life” and it left the Light Blues one point behind the Hoops at the top of the table having played a game fewer.

Rangers will play their game in hand against Dundee at Dens Park on Wednesday night but still  have to go to Parkhead after the split.

Despite a 2-1 defeat there in December, which followed a 1-0 defeat at Ibrox in September, Dessers revealed confidence when asked if the Light Blues were capable of winning in the east end of Glasgow.

The 29-year-old Nigeria international said: “We showed on Sunday we can score three goals against a good team and also in the previous two games, obviously we lost them, but I don’t think it was fully deserved.

“We showed we can hurt them and if we’re a little more lucky – like with the first goal – and we can take our moments then we can get a good win there.

“Obviously it is very close, like I said.

“I think we saw that quality-wise we are also very close to each other. But I hope after Wednesday that I can say that we are on top of the league.

“With the result and performance on Sunday, in the second half especially, that will give us a mental boost as well.

“So I hope we are slightly ahead. We will have to be ready from now until the last game, but I think we are.”

Philippe Clement’s side found themselves a goal down after just 21 seconds when an attempted clearance from hesitant skipper James Tavernier rebounded off Daizen Maeda and sped past keeper Jack Butland.

Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley dinked in a penalty but Tavernier scored from the spot as the hosts rallied after the interval.

Dessers had a strike ruled out for an earlier infringement before Abdallah Sima levelled in the 86th minute, only for Adam Idah to restore Celtic’s lead.

There was more drama when Ibrox substitute Rabbi Matondo levelled in eight minutes of added time.

Dessers has scored 17 goals this season since signing from Cremonese last summer but hopes to break his Old Firm duck at Parkhead.

He said: “Yeah, I thought I scored and I celebrated as well. So I had a little taste of the feeling.

“But I was unlucky because it got chalked off. I heard it was a foul which was unlucky for me and for the team in that moment. But we bounced back.

“I am getting closer all the time so the next game would be a very good moment to score my first Old Firm goal.

“It is difficult to sum up the things I felt on Sunday. It was one of the craziest games of my life.

“That is obvious if you see what happens after 21 seconds, if you see what happens after the first-half, if you see what happens at the end, in the last 10 or 15 minutes of the game. It is too much to sum up.

“But I think I can sit here and speak for the team, speak for Rangers, and say we have to have a positive feeling.

“If we can come back like that in a big game like that with the pressure full on then it says a lot about the team and the mentality of the team.”

Celtic have condemned a “quite appalling” incident after it emerged that Matt O’Riley was almost struck with a glass bottle thrown from the Rangers support during Sunday’s 3-3 draw between the teams at Ibrox.

The Hoops midfielder was targeted as he celebrated putting his side 2-0 ahead with a penalty in front of the Copland Road Stand.

A Celtic spokesperson said on Monday: “It has been confirmed today that a glass bottle was thrown at Matt at yesterday’s match.

“The repeated targeting of our players and staff with missiles is quite appalling and completely unacceptable.

“We have already raised our serious concerns with Rangers and understand that police are investigating the matter.”

Inquiries are also ongoing after Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy appeared to be struck by a coin in the technical area.

A small number of alleged hate-related crimes from Sunday’s derby are being investigated by Police Scotland, although no arrests were made at the stadium.

Adam Idah made a scoring Ibrox debut for Celtic in Sunday’s classic 3-3 draw with Rangers and is now looking forward to the final Old Firm league game of the season at Parkhead.

The 23-year-old Republic of Ireland striker, on loan from Norwich since January, replaced Kyogo Furuhashi in the 69th minute with the Hoops leading 2-1 through a Daizen Maeda goal after 21 seconds and a Matt O’Riley penalty in a dominant first-half.

Gers skipper James Tavernier reduced the deficit in the 55th minute from the spot as Rangers fought back.

Substitute Abdallah Sima’s deflected strike in the 86th minute levelled the game but a minute later Celtic broke and Idah drove low past Ibrox keeper Jack Butland for what looked like a winner with his sixth goal for the Hoops.

However, there was one twist remaining as Light Blues substitute Rabbi Matondo curled in the equaliser in the third of eight added minutes to keep Rangers one point behind leaders Celtic.

Philippe Clement’s side have a game in hand against Dundee away on Wednesday night but have still to visit Celtic Park after the split, a fixture which will be played, like at Ibrox, with home fans only in the ground.

Idah told CelticTV: “I was disappointed to not get the winner but look, we got a point at the end of the day and we’re happy with the point.

“Like I said, it’s frustrating not to get all three points but the boys dug in well, dug deep, performed well and we still have to play them at home.

“I thought the boys did excellent from start to finish and to get the early goal was amazing.

“It was crazy, my first time there was amazing. What the boys did without fans was fantastic.

“It was a good experience and now I am looking forward to playing them at home.

“We take each game as it comes now. We’ve got a game next Saturday (St Mirren) and that will be a good test for us and when this next game comes (against Rangers) I’m sure we’ll be ready for it.”

Brendan Rodgers insisted Celtic left Ibrox in a “really strong position” after drawing 3-3 with cinch Premiership title rivals Rangers.

The visitors stormed into the lead after just 21 seconds with a Daizen Maeda goal and the dominant Parkhead side doubled their lead in the 34th minute when midfielder Matt O’Riley dinked in a penalty awarded for a Connor Goldson handball.

Rangers picked up after the break and skipper James Tavernier scored from the spot in the 55th minute before striker Cyriel Dessers had the ball in the Hoops net two minutes later only for an earlier infringement to rule out the goal.

There was further drama in the 86th minute when Gers substitute Abdallah Sima levelled but a minute later Hoops substitute Adam Idah restored Celtic’s lead, only for Light Blues substitute Rabbi Matondo to level again in the third minute of eight added on.

Rangers remain a point behind leaders Celtic with a game in hand against Dundee on Wednesday but Rodgers noted that there is still an Old Firm game after the split at Celtic Park, which, like the match at Ibrox, will be played in front of home fans only.

The Celtic boss claimed his side were “much the better football team in terms of how we were trying to approach the game and play” and added: “It puts us in a really strong position.

“We still have a lot of work to do, still six games to go.

“But when you have your nearest rival still to play at home in front of 60-odd thousand, and you know you’re going to be stronger again to that moment, I’m very happy with that.

“I can see the players were disappointed they had not won.

“For a team that has been written off and told they are going through the motions all year I think we definitely turned up.

“This is the business end of the season and we are ready to turn up.

“I have nothing but positivity in how mentally they were in the game, how they approached the game, the courage they played with. It will be immense and be huge for us.”

Rodgers was not convinced about the merits of the Rangers penalty given by referee John Beaton, which sparked a fightback.

Rangers attacker Fabio Silva was initially shown a yellow card by Beaton for simulation after a challenge by Hoops right-back Alistair Johnston inside the Celtic box.

Beaton, however, was sent by VAR Nick Walsh to check the pitch-side monitor and again he pointed to the spot, cancelling out Silva’s yellow card before Tavernier blasted the ball high past Joe Hart.

The Celtic boss had been critical of Beaton in his VAR role in last month’s 2-0 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle to earn a one-match touchline ban, with one suspended, although he subsequently insisted he was comfortable with his appointment for Ibrox.

Rodgers said: “It was a fantastic game to be involved in.

“Super proud of the team, how we played and managed the occasion. The first half was absolutely brilliant. Couldn’t have been more comfortable in the game.

“Some of the level of our football – we attacked with the ball, attacked without it – and could’ve been more comfortable by half-time.

“Disappointed with the penalty, that gives them a little up in the game when we were clearly the much better team.

“Ali, who is on a booking, has to be really careful in the second half with the timing of his tackles and I thought he was perfect with it.

“I thought the referee got it absolutely right on the field.

“He connected with the ball, the player simulates and it was right. So clearly then they score the penalty. It gets to 2-1 and then you expect something from Rangers.

“But the whole thing was leaving here today with the performance and still with everything in our hands.

“I think what we showed today was the level of our football, players coming back to fitness, how we could deal with pressure and manage the pressure. So proud of the team.”

Philippe Clement claimed Rangers were “moral winners” of the Old Firm derby after coming from 2-0 down at half-time to draw 3-3 with Celtic in a roller coaster clash at Ibrox.

Daizen Maeda gave the visitors the lead after just 21 seconds and the Light Blues fell further behind in the 34th minute when midfielder Matt O’Riley coolly converted a penalty.

Skipper James Tavernier scored from the spot in the 55th minute as the Gers rallied before striker Cyriel Dessers had the ball in the Hoops’ net two minutes later only for an earlier infringement to rule out a goal.

Abdallah Sima levelled in the 86th minute but a minute later Adam Idah, also on as a substitute, restored Celtic’s lead. There was still time for more drama when Rabbi Matondo equalised for Clement’s side in added time.

Rangers, with seven fixtures remaining, remain a point behind leaders Celtic with a game in hand against Dundee on Wednesday and a trip to Parkhead after the split.

Boss Clement, who took over at Ibrox last October, said: “It is the worst start you can have in an Old Firm game, to go behind after one minute.

“Also in the way we went behind. That is a big blow in that moment for the team, for the fans.

“Afterwards, we didn’t go down but we were not good enough on the ball.

“Then second half we showed our real face. We showed the real things that I want to see, this never-stopping team that has a lot of resilience, a lot of hunger, desire, to change the result.

“To do the right thing, to create chances not give away chances. Then became, for you guys, a crazy scenario, for the scenario that I wanted.

“Not with the 2-2 and then the 3-2 of course, but we clearly deserved at least a point today with what we have shown.

“I think at the end we are moral winners of this afternoon because a few months ago, for sure, this team could not have reacted after 2-0 in an Old Firm.

“I don’t know if many teams in the past could have done it. It is a hard thing in a very important game to go 2-0 behind to also feel the disappointment of your fans when you go into the dressing room to turn that around. Because of that I am really proud of my boys.

“For me, it is important, we showed what we are about in the second half, so that’s why we are the moral winners in that way, to come back after 0-2, I don’t think it happened too much in Old Firm games.

“Now it is putting focus on Dundee, a big game, and all the focus is on that and not on the ranking or the points, so you will not catch me saying or thinking these things in the next couple of weeks, that is something for maybe the last two or the last game, that depends how many points other teams take.

“This will give a lot of confidence, belief, but it is also important to stay humble and be ready for the Dundee game and do that from the first second of the game and not give belief to the opponents, like we did today.”

Clement was pleased with the way skipper Tavernier reacted to his lapse in concentration which allowed Maeda to score an early opener.

He said: “It’s difficult to pick only Tav out because I would prefer that he didn’t make those mistakes in the first minute.

“But he showed the personality to take the penalty and to take the penalty in that way, with really big conviction, desire to score the goal and to put the perfect penalty away.

“It’s not easy and a lot of players break after making a fault like that at the beginning of the game. They go down the way.

“But he has the capacity to switch on again and to be even more hungry.”

Rangers fought back from a two-goal half-time deficit to draw 3-3 with Celtic as the cinch Premiership title race exploded at Ibrox.

Hoops attacker Daizen Maeda gave the visitors a stunning lead after just 21 seconds which rocked the home side.

The nervy Light Blues fell further behind in the 34th minute when midfielder Matt O’Riley coolly converted a penalty after a VAR intervention.

Rangers improved after the break and skipper James Tavernier scored from the spot in the 55th minute before striker Cyriel Dessers had the ball in the net two minutes later only for an earlier infringement to rule out a goal.

Substitute Abdallah Sima levelled in the 86th minute but a minute later Hoops substitute Adam Idah drove in for what looked like a dramatic winner only for Rangers replacement Rabbi Matondo to level in added time for a share of the spoils which left Celtic one point ahead at the top.

Rangers have a game in hand against Dundee on Wednesday but have still to go to Celtic Park after the split with more twists likely.

Rangers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz could not prove his fitness and Philippe Clement preferred utility player Dujon Sterling to Borna Barisic, while Tom Lawrence replaced Todd Cantwell.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor was only fit enough for the bench after recovering from an Achilles problem and he would have been as stunned as anyone when the Hoops took an instant lead.

Joe Hart’s long clearance went past hesitant Tavernier who tried to clear under pressure from Maeda but the ball rebounded off the Japan attacker and sped low past keeper Jack Butland.

The Ibrox support was taken aback as were the players who were all over the place in the ensuing minutes.

In the 24th minute a Mohamed Diomande corner was headed over by Connor Goldson before Butland made a great save from a Maeda drive and then Reo Hatate fired just wide from the edge of the box, bringing more jeers down from the stands.

Butland made an even better save from an O’Riley header on the half-hour mark and there was a VAR check for a possible Celtic penalty for a Goldson handball in the next attack.

When referee John Beaton checked his pitchside monitor at the behest of VAR Nick Walsh, he decided the ball had struck the centre-back’s elbow and pointed to the spot.

O’Riley dinked the ball down the middle and Butland dived the wrong way.

Just before the break Rangers forward Fabio Silva, who was having a frustrating afternoon, had two attempts from close range blocked but the boos rang out at the sound of Beaton’s half-time whistle.

Clement replaced winger Scott Wright with Sima for the start of the second half, where Silva was soon booked for diving inside the Celtic box after a challenge by Alistair Johnston.

Beaton, however, was again sent by the VAR check to the screen and again he pointed to the spot – it looked a soft award – cancelling out Silva’s yellow card and Tavernier blasted the ball high past Hart.

Then Dessers slammed in from close range following a goalmouth scramble but Beaton checked his monitor again and ruled Lawrence had fouled midfield counterpart Tomoki Iwata in the build-up.

The mood inside Ibrox had changed as Rangers went in search of an equaliser and it came with four minutes of normal time remaining when Sima picked up a clearance inside the Celtic box and fired high into the net via a deflection.

However, a moment later, Idah, on for Kyogo Furuhashi, took a pass from fellow substitute Paulo Bernardo and fired low past Butland.

But in the third of eight added minutes, Matondo turned inside in the Celtic box and curled the ball high past Hart and Ibrox bounced for the last few minutes, while the final whistle had players from both sides at loggerheads as passions boiled over.

Brendan Rodgers has called on his Celtic players to maintain cool heads when they run out at Ibrox for Sunday’s showdown with cinch Premiership title rivals Rangers.

The Hoops are a point above Gers, who have a game in hand, so the outcome of this weekend’s derby is likely to have a significant bearing on the outcome of what is shaping up as the tightest championship race since the Light Blues’ financial implosion more than a decade ago.

However, Rodgers has told his players to focus fully on playing football and not the potential ramifications of victory or defeat.

“It starts with the whole build-up,” said the Hoops boss. “I think it’s important not to get entrenched in the whole storyline because at times the storyline can be that ‘it could a disaster’.

“But for me the storyline is that there is always opportunity. You arrive, you stay calm and you just look to focus on your performance.

“This is one of the greatest, most iconic games in world football but you’ve got to perform and you can only do that by staying calm and looking to play your football.”

Rodgers – who has lost just one of his 16 matches against Rangers in his two stints as Celtic boss – insisted he has not given too much consideration to how any particular result at Ibrox might leave the title race.

“I haven’t over-thought it,” he said. “I always prepare the team to win, I never think of drawing or losing a game. I always prepare the team to go and win the game and it’s served me well especially in these types of games.

“You can’t win them all, of course, but the mindset is to impose ourselves on the game and then let’s see where we are at at the end of it.

“I always feel really comfortable coming into these (Old Firm) games but that’s only on the back of preparation and the clarity we want to give to the players.

“And also because of how we play. I have always been confident in that and we have come in to a lot of these big games and performed very well.

“It’s not always perfect but we have performed well in them.”

After struggling for form at various points this term, Rodgers feels the return of key players from injury has helped Celtic regain their “authority” recently.

The Hoops could be at full strength for the trip to Ibrox if captain Callum McGregor and winger Luis Palma are declared fit.

“It’s just having the authority back on the pitch, and you saw that at Livingston last weekend,” said Rodgers.

“When we are at our best, we are not giving much away whilst creating that great platform.

“No matter how good you are attacking wise, it’s about consistency in how you defend.

“We are at our best when we are super organised and tight – and then everything is connected with and without the ball.

“That will be the same on Sunday. We will be attack-minded and front foot, but attack-minded when we defend too. When we do that, we can play very well.”