Celtic captain Scott Brown not expecting Rangers rout repeat

Celtic were comfortable winners over Rangers in the league last month

Captain Scott Brown is not anticipating another comfortable afternoon when Celtic meet Rangers in Sunday's League Cup semi-final.

Celtic ran out 5-1 winners when the Glasgow rivals met last month.

But midfielder Brown reckons Rangers have improved since then, saying: "They are a bit more solid and have a more steady team.

"It's going to be a lot harder game, but we've got that pace and quality and we have been scoring goals."

While the most recent derby was a one-sided Premiership affair at Celtic Park, Rangers triumphed when the teams last met at Hampden, prevailing after a penalty shoot-out to reach last season's Scottish Cup final.

"We played really well on the day and they were probably disappointed with themselves," said Brown of the 5-1 victory.

"It's a totally different stage and a couple weeks more fitness now for everybody, so it'll be interesting, especially at Hampden.

"Anything can happen on the day, but we're in a stronger position than we were last season. The results in the league and cups have been positive for us.

"They will have watched us closely in the last couple of weeks knowing this game was coming up.

"They will play a bit differently. I don't think they will be as open as they were at Celtic Park."

Celtic are now bottom of their Champions League group

Celtic were comprehensively beaten by Borussia Monchengladbach on Wednesday and Brown says a win on Sunday would go some way to healing those Champions League wounds.

"It was a bit disappointing, but we just need to bounce on," he said. "They were a great team. The way they played out from the back up the strikers and their midfield movement - it was exceptional.

"But we've got Sunday to look forward to now.

"We've just got to focus on our own game and get back to winning ways and play the way we can and have been in the league."

With Celtic again leading the Premiership, Brown was asked about the possibility on a clean-sweep of domestic trophies.

"We've just got to try to focus on one game at a time," he said. "A treble would be great, but I've been talking about it for nine years now and I'm getting a bit bored of talking about it and not doing it.

"Here's hoping that it could be the start of a great season for us."