Kris Boyd insists Rangers will need more energy in midfield to cope with Celtic

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Mark Warburton is preparing his Glasgow Rangers side for their first Old Firm meeting of the season.

Rangers manager Mark Warburton

Kris Boyd has told The Scottish Sun that Rangers will need to show more energy in midfield than they did in the 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock on Friday if they hope to be able to cope with Celtic in their upcoming clash.

The two giants meet in the first Old Firm clash of the campaign after the international break. And after after coming up against Mark Warburton’s men in the Scottish Premiership recently, Boyd – who has enjoyed two spells at Ibrox during his career – has warned the Light Blues that they will need to show more in the middle of the park if they hope to get the better of their bitter rivals, and hinted that Joey Barton could be crucial to their chances.

Joey Barton

“Celtic now play at a higher tempo under Brendan Rodgers. They press high the way Gers did last season. They close you down and try to stop you playing,” he told The Scottish Sun.

“It will be a different game from the semi-final and Celts will be big favourites.

“People ask if Barton will be able to handle the occasion and atmosphere. Of course he will. He’s played in plenty of huge games in his career.

“But Gers will need to find more energy in that crucial midfield area if they’re to handle it as a team at Celtic Park.”

As Boyd alluded to, there has been a lot of changes at both clubs over the summer that mean that the result in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final – which saw the Gers win on penalties – will count for little.

However, the fact that the Light Blues will go into this game as underdogs may help create the kind of team spirit that inspired them to cause an upset during the last meeting.

Rangers players celebrating their Scottish Cup semi-final win

With Brendan Rodgers’ men making a perfect start to the new campaign and moving to the top of the table despite playing a game less than their rivals, Warburton’s side face an uphill battle if they hope to get a positive result.

But with several high-profile players, like Barton, within their squad, the Old Firm game may be the kind of fixture they have needed to allow them to rediscover their best form, and it may prove to be the moment that sees the Gers confirm that they can challenge for the title this season.