Ferguson tells Clement to make 'Vital' Diomande call for Rangers Old Firm clash v Celtic

Barry Ferguson has told Philippe Clement that it is “vital” that Mohamed Diomande starts for Rangers in the Old Firm clash with Celtic.

The Gers make the trip across Glasgow for the first derby of the season on Sunday (1 September) as Clement looks to close the gap to the Hoops and secure his first win over Brendan Rodgers.

While the Light Blues don’t have to stop Matt O’Riley after his move to Brighton, they do have to deal with Callum McGregor and Ferguson believes Diomande will have a better chance of doing that than Tom Lawrence.

Writing for the Daily Record on Saturday (31 August) he said: “Rangers have tried various different ways of suffocating him [McGregor] over the last few years.

“Tom Lawrence and Todd Cantwell were both asked to sit on McGregor last year in an attempt to stop him from acting as the heartbeat to Rodgers’ team but neither could get close.

“That’s why I think it’s vital Clement goes with energy and legs in the centre of the park. I’m hoping he selects Mohamed Diomande in front of Dujon Sterling and Connor Barron. That trio to me looks like it has the right blend of aggression and control.”

Who will Philippe Clement start for Rangers v Celtic at Parkhead?

There is a belief around Ibrox that if you can stop McGregor, you can stop Celtic from getting a hold of the game and while that is easier said than done, Ferguson’s midfield would surely have a good chance of shutting him down.

A trio of Diomande, Barron and Sterling would provide plenty of energy and dynamism in the middle of the park and that could be exactly what is required for the Light Blues to win the battle.

However, with no Lawrence in the number 10 role and Ianis Hagi seemingly still out of the picture under Clement, there may be a fear that Diomande doesn’t have the creative ability to play that defence-cutting pass in the final third.

Perhaps the likes of Vaclav Cerny, James Tavernier and Rabbi Matondo can provide that creative spark for Cyriel Dessers, but Clement won’t want to leave his side short of firepower as they look to break down the Hoops.

Whatever the Belgian does at Parkhead on Sunday, some will suggest that he has made the wrong call. At the end of the day, the only thing that truly matters in this game is finding a way to claim all three points.

In other Rangers news, Todd Cantwell has been torn into live on air after the Light Blues said “good riddance” to the midfielder

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