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Rangers manager Danny Rohl has urged his side to keep the Celtic supporters quiet on Sunday by replicating the intensity they showed during the first 50 minutes of their league clash at Ibrox.

The Gers hosted Celtic at Ibrox last weekend in a Scottish Premiership clash and got off to a blistering start, with Youssef Chermiti smashing two brilliant goals past Viljami Sinisalo to put Rohl’s side in the driving seat, with a Scotland international praising the Portuguese’s big-game character.

However, a dip in energy after the interval, with Mikey Moore singled out for a quiet display, allowed Celtic to claw their way back into the contest, eventually snatching a 2–2 draw with virtually the final kick as Reo Hatate converted at the third attempt following a missed penalty.

On Wednesday night, Celtic travelled to Pittodrie and secured a 2-1 victory against Aberdeen, allowing them to leapfrog Rangers into second place in the Scottish Premiership table, with one former Ger now stating that fans will not accept a slow start against the Hoops in the Scottish Cup on Sunday and stressing that the team must start like a house on fire.

Rohl reflected on the Old Firm clash last weekend and highlighted how the Gers’ performance shaped the mood inside the stadium, stressing that his side’s intensity during a strong opening spell helped create an outstanding atmosphere.

The 36-year-old suggested that his team’s display for much of the game allowed them to push forward with confidence and lift the crowd, although he acknowledged that momentum shifted once Martin O’Neill’s team reduced the deficit to 2-1.

In his view, those brief periods when Celtic gained control are a natural part of football, but he emphasised how enjoyable it was to be on the touchline during the contest against the Hoops, in which his side produced a commanding 50-minute spell.

Rohl said at a press conference (10:05): “Of course we have an impact.

“If we play 50 minutes like we did, then the 7,500 [Celtic fans] will also [be] quiet.

“And I think this is the part in the game, you feel it.

“We can influence, we can make the impact on our performance on the pitch, and the atmosphere was incredible for 50 minutes, really incredible.

“It was amazing to feel this.

“We pushed our players forward and then it comes to 2-1 and then you feel it in the stadium as well.

“Yes, but this is also part of the game.

“Maybe we can do it together that we come also through these small minutes where you feel, yes, the opponent comes better into the game, but these 50 minutes were really, really outstanding.

“I really enjoyed being on the touchline in such a game.”

The Gers will be particularly keen to avoid a repeat of last season’s shock Scottish Cup exit, when Queen’s Park stunned them 1-0 at Ibrox in the fifth round, as they look to move past the quarter-finals by overcoming their Glasgow rivals.

With only four games remaining before the split, the Scottish Premiership title race remains finely poised, with Hearts leading the table, but just six points ahead of third-placed Rangers.

Celtic sit between the two with a one-point advantage over the Gers, leaving it to be seen whether Rohl can overcome the challenge and deliver a trophy for the Ibrox heavyweights in his first year.