'Hit them and see how they react' - Michael Beale vows Rangers will attack Celtic and 'take the feedback'

Rangers manager Michael Beale’s determination to go on the attack at home to Celtic in the clubs’ new year shoot-out is high risk.

As a strategy for his first derby at the Ibrox helm, it could produce the outcome that met Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid when they decided to give it both barrels and run into a hail of bullets after being surrounded by the Bolivian army. The Govan club’s cornering through trailing their bitter rivals by nine points leaves Beale little option but to play on the front foot. Equally, anything else might smack of an inferiority complex - something the 41-year-old wouldn’t countenance even if he has acknowledged Ange Postecoglou’s men are playing at a level above his team.

“We’ve got to hit them and see how they react. We have to,” said Beale. “If they react strongly and hit us back harder than we’ve hit them then that’s fine, because we’ll take the feedback. We can’t [sit back] at home against anybody – we never did it against Porto, Benfica, Dortmund, Leipzig or Feyenoord. We never did it in the Old Firm when I was here previously so we can’t start now. It’s part of wearing this badge and coming into this building every day and representing this club.

"When we play we have to try to win. And at Ibrox we have to win in style and really take the game. We can’t change the fans and what the history and the culture of this club is. If we feel that’s dangerous right now then so be it. Let’s face that afterwards. If we can’t do that in this game it’s because they have overpowered us and, again, that will give us feedback in terms of what we’ve got to do. So we have to go and be the truest version of ourselves. Ange will be saying the same to his team and that’s why I think it’s going to be a good game.”

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Beale, as right-hand man to Steven Gerrard, has been part of a Rangers that have confounded all derby expectations. Four years ago at Ibrox, the home team were ranged against a Brendan Rodgers Celtic then unbeaten in 12 against their rivals. Gerrard’s team had posted only two wins in the previous six outings yet still they dredged up a 1-0 success that not only brought a halt to an horrendous sequence. It helped start the process of turning the tables, Rangers enjoying seven derbies without loss - six of these wins - before Gerrard and Beale left for Aston Villa last November.

“I remember the emotion in the stadium that day and the way we played that day. That’s something you’d want to re-enact,” the Englishman said. “It wasn’t all about style. It was more about passion, energy and togetherness. It was a tight game and sometimes a game can be the making of a player. I think it was Ryan Jack’s first goal for Rangers. These games are for people to step up and make their Rangers or Celtic careers. These are the games that make up the highlights reel at the end of the season and the fans’ awards. They live long in the memory. The eyes of Europe are on this game so we’re fortunate just to be involved in it. It’s two good teams and mine has a bit more to prove than Celtic’s right now.”