There's a burning Rangers question I'm asking Michael Beale to find out if they ARE a match for Celtic – Kenny Miller

A meaningless Old Firm game? That simply doesn’t exist.

If it does, I never experienced one – and I played in a few on both sides of the divide. So don’t tell me that Saturday’s game at Celtic Park doesn’t have too much riding on it. I’ve played in them when they’ve effectively been title deciders. But I’ve also been involved when a league has already been won before kick-off. And I’m telling you, the edge to it was exactly the same.

Trust me, you NEED to win that game irrespective of the circumstances. Listen, we know the league is all but done and Celtic will be champions. But from Rangers’ point of view? There’s plenty on the line. For a start, my first question to Michael Beale would be: ‘In your time as manager this season, can you finish with more points than Celtic?’

That should be his mentality going into it. After getting a draw at Ibrox and winning every other league game since he walked into the building – he’s level with them. I know it’s not all about the manager. And I’m pretty sure that even going undefeated against Celtic in the next two games won’t get the title back.

But can he put a team together to compete with Celtic NEXT season? At the moment you have to say he can. The current league form tells you that. But there are two Old Firms to go in the Premiership. By the end of the campaign will he be able to say, after 23 games as Rangers gaffer, that he has amassed more points than Celtic? Because that’s a proper barometer, by the way.

It’s a big sample size, not just a few games at the end of a season. It is two thirds of a league campaign. Whatever happened before Michael returned to Ibrox is gone. It has cost Rangers the title. But he couldn’t control that. What he can take charge of is winning a