The last three Old Firm cup ties have gone to extra-time, with two of those settled on penalties and Celtic prevailing each time.
So it’s no surprise to hear the visitors have been practicising spot-kicks for Sunday’s Premier Sports Cup quarter-final at Ibrox.
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“We absolutely do (practice penalties), we’ll take it that far,” said manager Martin O’Neill. “We’ve always done this in cup competitions.
“It cannot replicate the stadium, the crowd, all of that type of stuff either home or away, it’s not like that at all.
“But at least you if you’ve had a couple of penalty shots, even if you’re, let’s say, a centre half or something and you’re asked to do it and if you’ve not practised it, well then it’ll be a double whammy for you because you’ve not done it in front of a big stadium and you’ve not even practiced it.
“So you might as well have a few shots and that’s what we do at the end of the training sessions.
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“If you’re looking at about, let’s say five minutes to go in extra time, that is the first time that you probably really think about it.
“You might have had some of your best penalty takers start the game and come off through fatigue or whatever the case may be. And whatever you’re left with that’s it.
“But I defy any manager to say that they can think further ahead than that.”
Asked what he expected from a Rangers side that have won four games in a row under Derek McInnnes after a difficult start to his tenure as Gers boss, O’Neill said: “I think they’ll be strong. I think they’ll be robust.
“They’ll be ready to go and we need to be able to match that.”
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