St Johnstone urged to pounce on Rangers anxiety as Steven MacLean targets lightning striking twice

St Johnstone preyed on the panic in Rangers ranks to score a big Perth win last season.

Steven MacLean has ordered his players to repeat the trick if they sense stress mounting among Michael Beale’s men. Saints boss Macca was Callum Davidson’s assistant when a nervy Giovanni van Bronckhorst group were beaten 2-1 ten months ago.

The Dutchman was in charge for only two more matches before the Ibrox axe fell. Now it’s Beale’s new boys approaching McDiarmid Park in need of a major boost following Old Firm failure. MacLean is a fan of the Rangers manager’s work but hopes the visitors are vulnerable right now. Last November, James Brown’s brilliant strike just before the interval and a Nicky Clark goal on the hour secured success. MacLean recalled: “We scored two good goals - and scored them at the right times. That’s a big thing. It’s important you start well and frustrate and, when you’re on top and get opportunities in these big games, you must take them.

“That builds pressure. We all know if you build pressure on teams that come with a big support - make them uncomfortable and make them do things they don’t want to do - then their fans get restless. I knew that when I played. It’s not easy playing for a big club like Rangers when the fans turn and make it difficult for their own team.

“So that’s what you’ve got to try and do. I’d like to think our players would thrive off that. You’ve got to thrive off the atmosphere anyway, enjoy the occasion and enjoy trying to make teams feel uncomfortable here.

“Let’s be honest, when the Old Firm teams hit the level they can reach then it’s difficult for you. But hopefully we impose ourselves on them and cause them problems off a good shape and being hard to beat. Then we’ll see what