Cyriel Dessers insists Rangers CAN win at Celtic Park as striker takes 'mental boost' from Ibrox comeback

Cyriel Dessers is convinced Rangers can end their wait for a win at Celtic Park when the Premiership title thriller reaches fever pitch after the split.

The Ibrox striker reckons Philippe Clement’s side are already “slightly ahead” but can scorch closer to the finish line with a first victory on enemy territory for over three-and-a-half years. Rangers produced a stunning second half fightback to salvage a point in Sunday’s Old Firm battle at Ibrox.

They can go two clear at the top by winning their game in hand at Dundee tomorrow and that would thrust the momentum behind the Ibrox side with six games to go. But with the last derby of a pulsating season to be played at Celtic Park and Gers having won none of the three encounters so far many believe it’s Brendan Rodgers’ side that hold the upper hand.

Rangers haven’t won at Parkhead since October 2020. But Dessers is convinced they’ve shown enough in the last two clashes with Celtic to prove they are capable of delivering the biggest of blows if luck is on their side.

He said: “Yeah, definitely. We showed on Sunday we can score three goals against a good team. And also in the previous two games, obviously we lost, but I don’t think it was fully deserved.

“We showed we can hurt them and if we’re a little more lucky, like with their first goal on Sunday, and then we can take our moments then we can get a good win there. Obviously it is very close. I think we saw that quality-wise we are also very close to each other. But, yeah, I hope after Wednesday that I can say that we are on top of the league.

“With the result and performance on Sunday, in the second half especially, I think that will give us a mental boost as well. So I hope we are slightly ahead.”

Rangers looked dead and buried at half-time on Sunday after a first half where they were second best in every area of the pitch. But Clement’s words of wisdom sparked a ferocious fightback after the interval which saw James Tavernier net a spot kick, Abdallah Sima level in the 87th minute and then Rabbi Matondo hit a stunning equaliser three minutes into injury time after Adam Idah had restored Celtic’s lead.

Dessers also had a goal chalked off by VAR amidst the mayhem. And the Nigeria international reckons the guts shown to fight their way back off the canvas will give them a mental boost heading into the home straight of the frantic title race.

He said: “I think it is clear that this will give us a massive boost. Hopefully we can win the postponed game and then we go on top.

“That is what we want. It is close, everybody could see that on Sunday. So we will have to be ready from now until the last game. But I think we are.”