Alex Rae

When Dijon made a scored the overhead goal on Sunday against Rangers, it lifted the mood around Celtic.

The players, the fans, Martin O'Neill, it lifted it to a stellar height.

And that's the kind of optimism they take with them to Fir Park.

Martin has set the scene perfectly by saying, being the manager who lost there on Helicopter Sunday,

he said if he loses there tonight he's never going back and you can understand that the man's been living with Hurt for 21 years Hart's been living with Hurt for 40 years because of a big player called Albert Kidd and because of a day when Celtic won 5-0 in Paisley and took the title from Hart's grasp

The history, the subplots surrounding the two games tonight are incredible.

Everyone's entitled to their opinion, Howard, of course.

And where we do agree is on the subject of Martin O'Neill.

The Celtic fans may have a difficult relationship with the principal shareholder, Dermot Desmond, but it was Dermot Desmond who got rid of Brendan Rodgers and knew that he was going to bring in Martin O'Neill.

The huge, monumental mistake that Celtic made.

Was hiring Wilfred Nancy Before they brought Martin O'Neill back Had they not hired Wilfred Nancy We wouldn't be having this programme Because Celtic would be the champions And a while ago So Martin O'Neill has united A club Full of discord Between supporters And the hierarchy And he has galvanised A football team Who Don't forget Howard lost Eight league games this season so far Eight

And yet They are Two games away From being The champions It's Martyn O'Neill's story

Well, I've listened to the programme since the Old Firm game on Sunday and I would say that 99% of the callers who support Rangers don't want Danny Rule.

So...

Andrew Kavanagh has clearly got a lot of faith in him I don't think it's a faith that's shared by the supporters I think the performance against Celtic on Sunday was classic Danny Rule Rangers they started well they faded from view and when push got to shove they had nobody to shove so he's a lucky man

If it's true that managers' teams reflect the manager's personality...

Rangers are currently reflecting the manager's personality I think there's nothing about them there's no inspirational figure he admits himself there are no leaders and I would hope that James Tavernier would get a dignified respectful farewell to Ibrox tonight

He's only won three trophies.

It's nowhere near good enough for a Rangers captain, but he has been a real earnest player for Rangers.

And the fans who criticised him will miss him when he's not there.