Rangers ‘energy’ gives Philippe Clement Scottish League Cup final ‘belief’

“It starts with belief before the game – not during the game.”

Clement also pointed to Rangers’ 4-1 win away to Nice in the Europa League last month.

“I know their contracts and what they pay in transfers, so it is a big difference,” he said. “Like I said about Tottenham, it is not only about that.”

Clement has faced Celtic five times as Rangers manager, losing four times, with a 3-3 draw at Ibrox in April being the one exception.

“I think we have a more energetic squad than we did last season,” he said. “That’s why decisions were made to rebuild the squad.

“You had last season a squad where we had an older squad and had less legs than the year before. We pushed out a lot last season and in the end the legs were going in maybe the last couple of weeks.”

Clement thinks his squad has improved, especially tactically, since their 3-0 September defeat at Celtic Park in the one previous Old Firm derby this season.

“Last year, with less energy, we were very close and should have won the cup final,” he suggested, referencing May’s 1-0 loss in the Scottish Cup. “The team believes it is making steps in every sense, so it is about doing that again on Sunday.”

Celtic have had two extra days recovery time after Tuesday’s 0-0 draw away to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

“I am not busy with that,” Clement said while insisting it was too early to say whether in-form centre-half John Souttar would recover in time from the injury that forced him off before half-time against Spurs.

“I am just busy on recovering fast and focusing on ourselves. It is about recovery and then to pick the right squad to get some fresh legs in the team.”

Clement was also not concerned about recent history favouring Celtic.

“Celtic are a team who are really good on the ball with a lot of quality players,” he added.

“So we need to play a very mature game, well organised, but we need to play our football also and create our chances, like we have been doing in the last couple of weeks.”