Malik Tillman is confident Rangers can close the gap on Celtic in the New Year - if they perform to their best at Ibrox.
The midfielder reckons Rangers can "beat anyone" when they click and play at the top of their game.
Tillman - on loan from Bayern Munich - even suggested Rangers can on their day be the best team in the country ahead of the Glasgow showdown next week.
Rangers were well beaten in the previous meeting with Celtic in September, but Tillman is hopeful of a much-improve performance and result on Monday, January 2.
"I think every game is important but obviously this game is the biggest game we have in the whole year.
"We are nine points behind and we'll try to close the gap to them and that's why we need the win on Monday."
He continued: "It's a big game in Glasgow. We, unfortunately, lost the first game and we have to do a way better job.
"If we reach our level then I think we can beat them.
"Also in front of our own fans, I think we need them as well. If they do a good job then we are going to do a great job as well."
Michael Beale last night admitted Celtic are playing at a higher level than Rangers in current form. But Tillman reckons Rangers are more than capable of condemning Celtic to just a second league defeat this season.
For the 20-year-old it has nothing to do with the opposition and solely depends upon the level of performance Rangers achieve in the powderkeg fixture.
"We just have to reach our level," he said. "If we reach our level and play the way that we can play then we can beat anyone.
"We just have to focus on our game, that's it.
"Basically we wanted to end the year positively with a win and we did it today. Also in general we try to win every single game and doing that for the last four games after the break is quite a good job. We have to keep looking forward and do the best we can.
"I think it's a mentality thing to come back to win games. I think if we reach the level we can play at that we are one of the best teams in the league or even the best team.
"We will try to win that game and turn things around in the Old Firm and bring back the three points."
