Derek Ferguson has warned Rangers they face a completely different Celtic side when the Old Firm rivals meet again at Parkhead this weekend.
The former Ibrox midfielder was speaking after Rangers' outstanding 3-0 victory over Celtic at Ibrox, with attention already turning towards Sunday's Premiership clash.
Derek McInnes' side produced arguably their most complete performance of the season to dismantle Martin O'Neill's team, with Dan Neil scoring twice and Kevin Kelsy adding another.
But Ferguson believes the Ibrox atmosphere played a major part in unsettling Celtic, and expects the home side to respond when the fixture is reversed.
Celtic 'will be better' in return clash
Speaking on the All About The Gers podcast, Ferguson said: "They'll be better. They will be better. They'll feel more comfortable."
The Rangers hero believes Celtic's players were taken out of their comfort zone by the intensity inside Ibrox.
“I just think they were, some of them were too cute in their comfort zone,” he said.
“I think it became a wee bit too much for them. So, the challenge is, can you handle that? Can you give us that same performance?”
Ferguson reveals Rangers Parkhead challenge
The former Rangers midfielder also recalled his own experiences of playing at Celtic Park and stressed that players must embrace the occasion rather than be overwhelmed by it.
“It was probably one of the, Did you enjoy going to Celtic Park?” Ferguson asked Charlie Miller.
When Miller confirmed he did, Ferguson agreed. “Because I loved it as well,” he said. “You've got to embrace that.”
That mentality could be crucial for Rangers, with the Ibrox victory giving McInnes' players a huge confidence boost but also setting a new challenge.
Ferguson believes Celtic will be determined to put things right, while Rangers themselves should be better with more Old Firm experience under their belt.
He also suggested Celtic's performance was affected by the atmosphere and pressure surrounding the game.
“They didn't embrace it, they didn't enjoy it, didn't like it,” Ferguson said. “Some of them went into their shell.
“They're going to try and replicate that and turn that against us.”
Can Rangers strike Celtic again?
The Rangers legend was hugely impressed by Sunday's display, describing it as one of the best performances he has seen from the club in years.
And he believes the development of McInnes' side means there is reason for Rangers fans to be optimistic heading into the second Old Firm meeting in the space of seven days.
The key, however, will be whether Rangers can reproduce the same intensity, discipline and quality when the surroundings are completely different.
As Ferguson put it: “So that'll happen to us on Sunday, the players we're talking about. The challenge is, can you handle that?”
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