Brendan Rodgers urges Celtic to focus on performance in league derby at Rangers

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has urged his players to focus on performance and play without fear as they bid to recapture their derby dominance against Rangers.

The William Hill Premiership champions travel to Ibrox on Sunday looking for their first league win over Rangers in 12 months.

Despite finishing 17 points clear last season, Celtic lost twice to their rivals and needed a penalty shootout to triumph in the Premier Sports Cup final.

Celtic had also come out on top in nine out of the previous 12 meetings before that Hampden clash and Rodgers had a simple route into rediscovering that form.

“Play well,” he said. “It’s a start.

“You think of performance. We’ve won most of our games against Rangers because we’ve played well, focused on performance, not getting too caught up in the whole hype of it all, playing without fear. And playing the level of football that’s expected here.

“When we’ve done that, in the majority of my time here, we’ve played well and won the games.

“The games last year, the games we lost, we didn’t deserve to win. We were beaten well there at Ibrox. We lost a home game that we shouldn’t have lost.

“And then, obviously, some other draws and a chance to win that game in the cup final we won.

“So it’s not rocket science. Play well, play with confidence. Compete, fight, run, show your quality and you’ll always have a chance of winning the games.”

Celtic were on the end of defeats from Rangers sides managed by both Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson last season and now face a team struggling to find form and results under Russell Martin.

The head coach has faced calls for his removal from several organised fans groups after winning just three of his first 10 matches and losing 9-1 on aggregate to Club Brugge in the Champions League play-offs.

Rodgers is also under scrutiny after Celtic exited the Champions League on penalties against Kairat Almaty but the club’s failure to provide him with attacking reinforcements has been the focus of their fans’ anger.

Martin is the target of the Rangers supporters and Rodgers empathised with the former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton manager.

“Listen, Russell knows the landscape,” he said. “He’s played at Rangers before and it’s always a challenge when you come in as a young manager and go to a big club.

“You’re trying to impose your style, your way of working whilst trying to change your culture. So, it always takes a wee bit of time.

“I’m pretty sure he’ll do really well. But in the meantime, you always have to get through the sticky bits of your season. And sometimes those can be at the beginning and hopefully over time you can make it better.

“But what do I expect? I always expect a tough game when you play against Rangers.”