Source: Team_Talk
Mowbray looking for breathing space
Victory for Celtic will take them seven points clear of Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premier League after only seven games played, and even defeat will still leave them in front going in to the international break.
All the pressure is on the champions who have failed to score in their last three SPL games and who were comprehensively beaten 4-1 by Sevilla in their Champions League clash at Ibrox on Tuesday night.
The former Celtic defender is hoping his side will shrug off their disappointing 1-1 Europa League draw with Rapid Vienna on Thursday night at Parkhead to stretch their advantage over their bitter rivals, in what is his first Old Firm game as Hoops boss.
"We are in the position where going to Ibrox is a good game for us," Mowbray said.
"We can open up a gap that will give us a little bit of breathing space.
"Even if we have a negative result, we are still top.
"But we will try and be positive and ask a few questions if we can.
"The occasion is there to be enjoyed, and we will be trying to get a result to make a lot of people happy."
The Hoops boss added: "We know it will be a competitive game.
"Rangers are a good side with talented individuals, and I like their midfield players.
"But we have good players also and we go there in confident mood."
Regardless of how Sunday's game finishes, Mowbray will continue to look at the bigger picture at Parkhead.
The former Hibernian and West Brom manager threw down the gauntlet to his current squad, saying: "We can see from Thursday's game that, while there were positives, we are not a European superpower at this moment in time.
"When the next transfer window comes along we will try and move things around again.
"Every football manager's responsibility is to improve their team as they go along which is what we will try and do.
"If I wasn't trying to get better players than I have now, in every position, I wouldn't be doing my job.
"We will try and find better than what we've got and I don't think that's a negative.
"The players who read these comments shouldn't think it is them that I'm talking about.
"They should think, 'it's the other guy he's talking about because I'm the best that I can be, I worked hard at training and I play well every week, so he ain't talking about me'.
"The secret for the players is to make sure that they are not the ones that are being replaced."
