Louis Moult insists Rangers are no bigger than Dundee Utd as he tells Tannadice teammates 'it's only a badge'
Louis Moult has insisted Dundee United shouldn’t be heading to Ibrox with an inferiority complex.
The experienced striker has insisted United will be going to Rangers full of belief, knowing if they can win they can draw level with the Light Blues and go joint third in the table. Manager Jim Goodwin has previously stated there is a bit of nervousness at Rangers and his United team must use that to their advantage when they visit the south side of Glasgow.
Moult stated: “At the end of the day, they’re the same as us, they’re just playing for Rangers and we’re playing for Dundee United. When you’re out there on the pitch it’s only a badge at the end of the day and I certainly don’t see them as a bigger club than us. It’s eleven men against eleven men and I think that’s the attitude you have to have in these games.”
United have a good few players who will be making their first trip to Ibrox. Moult has that experience in the bag and knows the importance of making a good start. He explained: “In our group we have quite a few players going there for the first time, so we’ve told them what it’s like and how hostile it will be.
“The manager has mentioned that too but it will be about how we do and how we start the game. When you go to these places it’s the first fifteen minutes that really counts, you have to get off to a good start.
“You want to turn their fans against their own players and put a bit of pressure on them. You need to make them make mistakes, it’s not easy because they’re good players, but if they misplace a few passes and there are some groans we have to capitalise on it.”
Rangers ended United’s unbeaten league run with a narrow win at Tannadice earlier in the season. Moult has insisted lessons have been learned.
He admitted: “In the first game we maybe gave them too much respect, I agree with the gaffer on that one. When you go into a game early in the season you’re never sure, they’re recruited players and we’ve recruited players.
“But we’re twelve games in now, we know a bit more about them and they know a bit more about us. We can adapt our game a bit, whether we will will remain to be seen. Rangers have good players so we will give them respect, but we also have to make sure they’re in a game as well.”
Moult has given United a lift by returning from a knee injury. He has a proven record against Rangers and Celtic. He has four goals in seven appearances for Motherwell against the Ibrox side and is looking to add to that. The Englishman stated: “I’ve scored a few against Rangers in the past, at Ibrox and at Hampden.
“I’ve found myself a knack of scoring in big games against big teams in the past. I think I have four against Rangers and four against Celtic, so I like those games. I’ve always backed myself and I’ve proved I can score in them.”
Moult had scored goals back-to-back against Motherwell and Kilmarnock before he suffered the injury. He knows that was important to show he can still produce at the top level. I remember saying to my wife when I got the knock I was glad I’d played and scored because it showed I’m still here,” Moult said.
“It proved I am still knocking on the door and can still do it. My mentality had never changed, it was about getting on the pitch and doing it.”