THE first Old Firm game of the season is a chance to lay down a statement of intent for Steven Gerrard and Brendan Rodgers and their respective sets of players.

The Rangers players that played at Parkhead last season, that were embarrassed at Parkhead last season, they better have a point to prove on Sunday.

For the new players, it is a chance to show what a difference they have made to the side and show that they can deal with the expectation levels and the pressure cauldron of Celtic Park.

It is important that Rangers keep 11 players on the pitch and then they can go and deal with the occasion and hopefully win the game.

You need to be brave on the ball, you need to have that mentality and togetherness that I have spoken about previously. This is the real test of that for Rangers.

I think it will be close on Sunday. Celtic haven’t started the season at the standard that they have over the last two campaigns.

But form goes out the window in an Old Firm game. So I hope Rangers go into it with confidence after their results this season, but not too much because that counts for nothing come kick-off.

If the players keep it together and both teams play at their maximum, it will be one hell of a game and a great advert for Scottish football once again.