Luke McCowan doesn't expect Rangers guard of honour at Ibrox

Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan isn’t expecting Rangers to give his side a ‘guard of honour’ at Ibrox on Sunday, and says “we’ll never know” what would happen if the shoe was on the other foot.

The Parkhead side secured their fourth successive title with a 5-0 win at Tannadice last weekend, and face their rivals this weekend in their first game since becoming champions.

Asked if he expected Celtic to be applauded on to the pitch by the Rangers team, he admitted he had no expectations and made a playful jibe that there was no way of knowing what his teammates would do if Rangers were champions.

“No, not at all,” he said. “But that’s just how it is, isn’t it?

“I don’t know how it would be if it was on the other foot.

“We’ll never really know I don’t think, but we will wait and see what happens.”

McCowan also says his side won’t have a point to prove against Rangers on Sunday, but that they will be going all out to beat their rivals just a week after securing the Premiership title.

Despite having a difficult season that will end without silverware, Rangers have won the last two Old Firm games, with interim manager Barry Ferguson guiding the team to a 3-2 victory at Celtic Park last month.

The Ibrox side will be looking to build on that and strike a blow against the newly-crowned champions but McCowan says his team will travel there knowing the significance of any derby.

“Ask anybody on the team or outwith those gates, your head-to-head against Rangers is always going to be important,” he said.

“It’s about being consistent throughout your season. It’s about showing that you’re now champions, going into their patch and proving why you are and putting on a performance that shows that, so that’s the kind of goal for Sunday.

“Everybody was disappointed in the last two results against Rangers. There was no hiding that, no getting away from it.

“I think that’s what happens when you come to a club like this, especially Celtic.

“You’re expected to win at this club and that’s what we should be doing and hopefully come Sunday that’s what we are doing.”

McCowan insisted that Celtic don’t have “a point to prove” against their rivals but believes it’s important they continue to set standards for themselves in every game, even with the Premiership being decided.

“We are the most consistent team in Scotland, that’s why we won the league,” he said.

“But I think it’s just more about showing to ourselves that it’s not about us winning the league last week, it’s about each performance that’s coming along with that and showing that we are champions, wherever we go, regardless of it being at Ibrox on Sunday, or Hibs at home, or anybody.

“It’s about putting on performances and we’ve got targets in our season that we want to hit.

“We’ve got other records within the season that we want to break, so that’s the goal and we just need to go and show that.”

Once again the issue of whether Rangers would welcome Celtic with a ‘guard of honour’ has been debated but McCowan thinks there’s no chance of that happening.