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Weir: Old Firm clash not make or break

Fri 28 Mar, 06:45 PM


Rangers defender David Weir believes Saturday's Old Firm derby at Ibrox will have minimal effect on the destination of the SPL title.Walter Smith's side are three points ahead of the champions with a game in hand on Celtic and many observers believe victory would all but wrest the title back from the Parkhead side for the first time in three seasons.

But the former Hearts and Everton player refused to get caught up in the usual hype surround the fixtures.

"People try to build up Old Firm games and say 'it's the most important' or 'it's make or break', but it's not," said the 37-year-old.

"They are all important, even if you are 12 or 15 points behind.

"Obviously if we can win tomorrow it gives us a healthy gap but, with eight or nine games to go, there is still a whole lot of work to do.

"Everybody says this game tomorrow can be a decider but I disagree.

"I'm sure that there will be points dropped outside the three Old Firm games that are remaining.

"We could win and not win for the rest of the season and we would be nowhere.

"So the league won't be won and the league won't be lost but we are aware of how big a game it is."

While former Celtic skipper Neil Lennon urged the Parkhead men not to get bullied at Ibrox, Weir played down the perceived physical advantage Rangers have over their city rivals.

He said: "We played Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup and they made us look like dwarves.

"If you look at the English Premier League or the top leagues around the world, and you look at the size of the players and the physical attributes, that's the way football is going.

"Whether that is a good thing or a bad, people will make their own minds up but it's just the nature of the game."

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