CELTIC super sub Georgios Samaras insists he is ready to fire the SPL champions back to the top of the table this weekend against Rangers if he is given the chance.
The Hoops' 3-0 win over Gretna at Almondvale yesterday took them within three points of the SPL leaders, who have a game in hand. However, the Parkhead side's superior goal difference means they can leapfrog their great rivals with a win at Ibrox on
Saturday lunchtime.
After goals from Scott McDonald and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink effectively secured the points against the SPL bottom side, Samaras – who arrived on loan from Manchester City in the January transfer window – replaced Australian international McDonald and scored the third with two minutes remaining.
The 23-year-old Greece international is confident he can add to the four goals he has scored so far for Celtic at Ibrox next week.
He said: "It doesn't matter if I play against Gretna, Rangers or Barcelona, I think I can score in all games. I am not afraid of the games and I don't feel under any pressure. I will just enjoy it."
Celtic's expected win over crisis club Gretna was painless but Samaras admits the Hoops will have to play better if they are to have any joy in Govan. He said: "It wasn't a very good game but we deserved to win. We cannot play like that against Rangers but we are ready, mentally and physically, to go to Ibrox and win."
Gretna defender Kyle Naughton, on loan from Sheffield United, insists a sense of loyalty to the Black and Whites prevented him returning back to Yorkshire during the club's recent troubled times.
The 19-year-old said: "I thought about going back but I didn't want to leave the team without a player in my position."
Inverness manager Craig Brewster will monitor the reaction of Dennis Wyness at training this week in order to decide what part his club's record scorer will play in the rest of the season.
The striker was left out of the squad for the 4-1 defeat at Kilmarnock.
"I spoke to Dennis on Monday and just told him contract talks had gone on long enough and I was putting them on hold," said Brewster. "We'll wait and see the reaction we get from Dennis."
St Mirren midfielder Andy Dorman's attacking instincts helped his side secure a 1-1 draw at Aberdeen. His late bursts into the penalty box have been a trademark of his game since he arrived on the Scottish scene, after moving from New England Revolution to Love Street.
"I like to get forward and, in training, that's all I do," he said.
The full article contains 458 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
