Alistair Johnston insists Celtic will never allow Rangers to push them around.
He went face-to-face with Borna Barisic at Hampden during a 2-1 Viaplay Cup final win for Ange Postecoglou’s side following an on-field disagreement, and one half of the national stadium were fired up to see the new boy not lying down and letting the Croatian left back know some stuff just isn't going to fly when the big two do battle.
Johnston admits he’s not one of the superstars like a Jota or Kyogo. But the right back is a fierce competitor and has no problem mixing it with the opposition, especially if he feels they are targeting the Hoops’ technicians in a cynical bid to curb their influence on the game, telling Sky: “I think it’s important, not only for ourselves, but for our fanbase that we show that it is more than just a football match.
“We understand there’s a lot that goes on between the history of these two clubs and it’s important that we don’t get pushed around on the scoreline or on the pitch. I take that with a bit of pride and it's always something that’s been in my DNA.
“I like to mix it up a bit and I take a lot of joy in that, especially as a defender. So whenever there’s an opportunity or if I feel like someone's trying to take advantage of one of our super technical players, then I’m going to go in there and stand up for them.
“That just shows the unity and the family spirit that we have at this club right now.”
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