JAMES TAVERNIER has experienced his fair share of highs and lows in Old Firm derbies over the years. Now in his eighth season at Rangers, the right-back has competed against Celtic on no fewer than 27 occasions amid a variety of backdrops.
The defender was there as Mark Warburton and Pedro Caixinha tried and failed to overhaul their rivals on the domestic front. He was there as Steven Gerrard achieved just that and the momentum shifted in the opposite direction, with the Liverpool great recording six wins in his final seven meetings between the two sides. And he remains here now as the pendulum has seemingly swung back in Celtic’s favour, with Ange Postecoglou’s side claiming the bragging rights in the last two derbies and boasting a nine-point lead at the top of the table.
The Rangers captain has claimed victory in eight Old Firms during his lengthy stint in Govan and he is confident that when the full-time whistle rings out at Ibrox this afternoon that figure will rise to nine. Managing his emotions in what is certain to be a feisty environment is of utmost importance, he says, but he believes he has played in this fixture enough times that he knows what to expect.
