Ally McCoist insists he is not afraid of Celtic winning the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title at Ibrox next Sunday.
If Motherwell do not win both their games before the penultimate Old Firm fixture of the season, the Parkhead club can wrap up the championship at the home of their biggest rivals for the first time since 1967.
After watching his young and makeshift side, depleted by injury and suspension, lose 2-1 to Dundee United at Tannadice, the Rangers boss was bullish at the prospect of what many Gers fans believe would be the ultimate nightmare. McCoist said: "I've not given it any thought to be honest with you."
He added: "I have never been scared of an Old Firm game in my life and I don't plan on starting now. We certainly have players who can win the game."
It was a valiant effort on Tayside with a Gers side missing six defenders and with Northern Ireland under-21 midfielder Andrew Mitchell making his debut. United defender Keith Watson's first-half strike gave Peter Houston's side the interval advantage and the home side looked comfortable when skipper Jon Daly scored soon after the break.
However, a deflected strike by Rangers substitute Sone Aluko off John Rankin brought the administration-hit visitors back into the game but it proved to be a mere consolation.
Aluko was something of a surprise omission but McCoist was unrepentant when asked if he should have started with the former Aberdeen midfielder.
"No" he said. "It probably was (a surprise) but I just felt the wee man's form had dipped ever so slightly.
"We decided to have five working across the midfield and I don't think you can argue it certainly looked all right in the first half and we certainly got the reaction from Aluko that we wanted when he came on.
"I'm beginning to sound like a broken old record but I am very disappointed in the result as you would expect. I certainly think we deserved to take something from the game."
Source: PA
