Rangers manager Steven Gerrard believes Alfredo Morelos is in the best possible frame of mind ahead of facing Celtic and can make a huge difference to his side's chances of victory on Sunday.

The Colombian striker has been prolific since arriving in Glasgow but has failed to score in 11 matches against Celtic. Morelos had a series of chances to end his drought in the League Cup final but couldn't find the net as Rangers lost to their rivals.

The forward has been in fine form since and Gerrard said he won't need to gee up his top scorer ahead of another huge test.

"The players will motivate themselves," he said. "If there’s anything about them this is a place that will excite them. We won’t do anything different because it’s an Old Firm game.

"I thought Alfredo's all-round performance in the cup final was really good, he created a number of chances out of nothing. He’s just got to go and do exactly the same thing but try and take the big moments. If he does, it’ll give us a better chance of winning.

"He is someone who is in love with playing football. He doesn’t like missing one minute of training, doesn’t like being a sub, doesn’t like coming off.  He motivates himself. I have no doubt he’ll be hoping he’s in the starting 11 and ready to face this challenge at the weekend.

"In terms of where’s he’s at, he’s as good as can be. I think his behaviour is massively improved."

Rangers currently sit five points behind Celtic at the top of the Premiership table, though they hold a game in hand. Gerrard didn't play down the importance of Sunday's fixture, which could see his side narrow the gap before the winter break or suffer a damaging defeat and leave Celtic with an eight-point lead.

However, the Rangers boss insisted that the match at Celtic Park won't be definitive in the title race.

"We’re coming up to the halfway mark of the season," he said. "There’s an awful lot of football to be played.

"We totally respect the importance of the game and the points available but whatever the outcome we won’t be giving up or downing tools and we’re going to push right until the very end.

"I see it as a tough challenge but one that is possible. If we replicate the form we’ve been showing of late, certainly in the last Old Firm game, I believe that if you keep asking questions you get your rewards."

Gerrard also expressed his hope that the talking points in the aftermath of the game would be all about goals, with referee Kevin Clancy and his assistants getting the big calls right.

"It will be hostile and emotions run high in derby matches," he said. "The officials will be aware of that and they have experience.

"Let’s hope we’re talking about the football rather than people losing their cool and incidents.

"You hope that the officials get the big decisions right. Sometimes big moments in games are more difficult to take than others.

"If you are outplayed or someone sticks one in the top corner or it’s a fantastic piece of play then I’ll be the first person to hold my hands up and say that’s why we lost. But sometimes if referee decisions are wildly wrong then that is difficult to take."