Celtic skipper McGregor ready to face Ibrox without visiting fans again... and insists 'siege mentality' can lead them to yet another Old Firm victory
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Callum McGregor says a siege mentality will underpin Celtic’s attempts to defeat Rangers and move 17 points clear at the top of the Premiership. There will be no visiting supporters inside Ibrox once again for this fixture but McGregor believes that simply heightens the desire to put on a big performance for all their fans following events on television.
![[Celtic take on Rangers on Thursday - and McGregor says his side are ready for the challenge]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/01/12/93643169-14241395-Celtic_take_on_Rangers_on_Thursday_and_McGregor_says_his_side_ar-m-2_1735736387825.jpg)
Celtic haven’t lost a derby match since May 2023 and their captain hopes to silence the Rangers supporters once more with another victory on Thursday afternoon. McGregor said: ‘When we arrive in the stadium, we understand everyone’s against us and it kind of helps the group a little bit where you have that siege mentality.
![[McGregor has much experience in Old Firm clashes - and isn't fazed by the Ibrox crowd]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/01/13/93643175-14241395-McGregor_has_much_experience_in_Old_Firm_clashes_and_isn_t_fazed-m-3_1735736403855.jpg)
‘It’s whatever you’ve got inside that dressing room, the 40 to 50 bodies that are working on the day. 'It’s us against them and you have to go and stand up and be counted and be there for each other. Callum McGregor celebrates after Celtic defeated Rangers in the League Cup final in December.
Celtic take on Rangers on Thursday - and McGregor says his side are ready for the challenge. McGregor has much experience in Old Firm clashes - and isn't fazed by the Ibrox crowd. ‘When you don’t have any supporters in the stadium then you feel even more responsibility to try and get a result for the guys that are watching either on the tellies or wherever they are. So, sometimes you take a wee bit more pleasure in that as well.
‘We know what these games are like. They’re frantic, they’re 100 miles an hour. So, if you can settle into the game and control the tempo of the game with the ball then when you’re at Ibrox then you can turn the momentum of the game in your favour.
