The_Guardian_-_2016-12-29

December derby is which of the two Brendan Rodgers will pick up front for the big game.
“We aim to go there and win. We want to win every game and that’s the attitude for the weekend,”
said Rodgers.
“It’ll be a battle, a tough game. There’s huge pressure on them to get the result at home.”
Celtic have 55 points from 19 games with Rangers second, on 39.
In an entertaining first half at McDiarmid Park, when neither defence convinced, Rangers took the
lead after a concerted period of pressure. Joe Garner’s shot was blocked and Barrie McKay
followed up to score.
But they held the lead for only five minutes before a poor back pass by Rob Kiernan was intercepted
by the home side’s Steve Maclean, who made the most of his gilt-edged chance.
Rangers, who lost 5-1 to Celtic in the Premiership in September, changed formation in the second half
but to no avail. The defender Clint Hill seemed to be hobbling when he was substituted, which will
be a worry for Mark Warburton before Saturday.
Warburton said he was disappointed with dropping two points. “We should have gone in [at halftime]
one or two up. I didn’t think we were threatened in the second half but we’ve got to test the
keeper more.”
Partick Thistle eased into a two-goal lead against Dundee before half-time thanks to goals from
Callum Booth, directly from a free-kick, and Kris Doolan, who struck shortly before the break. Chris
Erskine’s shot was saved by Scott Bain and the striker was on hand to score from an acute angle.
Dundee had been 2-0 down in their previous game against Hearts and came back to win 3-2 at home
but there seemed few signs of a similar escape.
Inverness should have gone into half-time ahead after a period of dominance but Craig Clay gave
Motherwell the lead with a swirling strike from 25 yards – his first goal for the club – that left Fon
Williams, the home goalkeeper, stranded.
Both teams struggled to put searching moves together in the strong wind in the second period.
Scott McDonald added a second three minutes from time when he was set up by his strike partner
Louis Moult after a breakaway.
But Inverness, who have not won at home since September, struck back after a wind-affected corner
when Tansey bundled the ball home.
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