Richard Gough has conceded he fears Rangers could be set for another big derby day defeat at the hands of Celtic.
The Ibrox legend reckons the Hoops could run out as comfortable winners, as they have done already this season and last.
Gough led Rangers to their nine-in-a-row title success. He played in some of the best Gers teams in the club's history.
The centre-back enjoyed a good record at Celtic Park while he played in a Light Blues jersey.
But the former Scotland international now insists that Gers supporters have become conditioned into expecting the worst when this fixture comes around at Parkhead.
His old side has managed just six wins in 40 trips to Glasgow’s east end.
He told the Daily Record: “Look at what’s happened the last few times we’ve played there. There has been a 3-0 and a 4-0 in there. It’s got heavy.
“I still get up and watch it at something like half past four in the morning here but I’m sitting behind the couch. It’s a hard watch for me, especially when my record at Parkhead was good.
“I didn’t suffer too many defeats there during my 11 years, never mind these past one or two seasons. And it’s the defeats that hurt, I remember them more than I do all the wins.”
And Gough believes Rangers are now suffering from the same inferiority complex which had such a crippling effect on Celtic during his own playing days at Ibrox.
“Very much so," he concluded. “And that’s what I see now. I don’t like to say it but Celtic have a better team than us at the moment, I think the majority of the Rangers supporters would agree with that.
“They have better players, they run around more. Stuff like that, if Rangers are going to beat them first they’ll need to match that energy. But in Old Firm games you are always hoping for the best.
“Michael has done very well since he’s been there and he’s got a chance to win the Scottish Cup. So if Rangers can go there and get a result on Saturday then it might put a marker down for the semi-final as well.
“Look, Rangers have a decent group of players. We just haven’t won there enough over the last 10-15 years. The last four or five years have been much closer because the quality of players at Rangers has been better.
"But I still think at the moment Celtic are stronger and the league position proves it. The Japanese boys who have come in have all been very disciplined. They’re good signings and they’ve worked very well.
“Then, obviously, they brought in a manager who no one knew very much about. But I spoke to Craig Moore about him at the time and he said, ‘He’ll get them going Goughie - he’s a good one!’ And, unfortunately, he was right.”
