Graeme Souness on Celtic vs Rangers pre-match spat as Clement fumes with Rodgers

Graeme Souness insists the Old Firm dugout war of words should mean NOTHING come lunchtime on Saturday.

Philippe Clement was left raging after Brendan Rodgers vowed Celtic would have "some fun" against their title rivals, with a win all but sealing three-in-a-row. The Rangers boss accused his counterpart of disrespecting his side and claimed it was something he would "never say about an opponent".

Ibrox legend Souness - who picked up the PFA Scotland special merit award on Sunday night - knows all about derby mind games but says it's something he'd never get caught up with. On the pre-match spat, Souness said: "It's not a road I went down.

"If anyone said anything mental it meant nothing. That was just the way I was educated. We do our job, we turn up and do it to the best of our ability."

A win for Celtic would move them six clear with two games to play, and given the Hoops' superior goal difference, would virtually crown them champions. On the flip side, Gers can reignite their fading title hopes by winning at Parkhead without any away fans to go level on points heading into the final two games.

Souness added: "If you need motivation to play in an Old Firm game then there's something wrong with you. It's the biggest derby I've ever played in. You have the huge football rivalry between the two biggest clubs in the country.

"We know there is the unsavoury part to it, of course, but there's no denying the magnitude of the game. It takes character to win these games. That's nothing new. It's about being motivated to the point where you are keeping your concentration levels and not getting carried away and losing your focus."