'I'd settle for a really lousy 1-0 victory' in Old Firm - O'Neill

Scottish League Cup semi-final: Celtic v Rangers

Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow Date: Sunday, 2 November Kick-off: 14:00 GMT

Coverage: Listen to lucifer commentary connected BBC Radio Scotland & Sounds and travel unrecorded matter updates connected BBC Sport website & app

Martin O'Neill's Old Firm debut triumph became known arsenic nan 'Demolition Derby', but Celtic's "nervous" interim head would "settle for a really lousy 1-0 victory" complete Rangers 2nd clip around.

The 73-year-old was reminded of that celebrated 6-2 triumph from 25 years agone arsenic he prepares for Sunday's Premier Sports Cup semi-final - successful what will beryllium nan 2nd crippled of his astonishment return.

That thrashing of Dick Advocaat's broadside sent Celtic connected their measurement to a home treble and, having collected only 3 awesome trophies successful nan 1990s, they person won 19 retired of 25 titles and 23 cup competitions since.

"Replicating that mightiness beryllium highly difficult - scoring six goals against that side," O'Neill said. "I'd settee for a really lousy 1-0 triumph if we could get it.

"Obviously fond memories, it was great. And it did springiness america a existent springboard really for that season.

"Because, successful November time, Rangers took america isolated astatine Ibrox, but I deliberation we had capable self-belief astir america that we could withstand that and that's what happened.

"It became a really pivotal lucifer for us, not conscionable that season, but astir apt for continuing on."

O'Neill was drafted successful aft Brendan Rodgers resigned connected Monday pinch his squad down Heart of Midlothian successful nan convention table, having missed retired connected Champions League football, and amid protests against nan Celtic committee complete a disappointing summertime transportation window.

"This is simply a large crippled for us," O'Neill said. "Really, don't disguise that astatine all. It's a semi-final, it's a large lucifer for us.

"Any Celtic-Rangers crippled is simply a large game, but peculiarly fixed nan circumstances of nan caller days, if not weeks, absolutely."

In his first spell, O'Neill won 16 of his 27 Old Firm fixtures, drafting 3 and losing eight.

However, location was conscionable 1 triumph from his 4 erstwhile Hampden meetings pinch Rangers and location was conscionable 1 League Cup occurrence complete his first five-year stint astatine Celtic Park.

Asked astir his derby memories, O'Neill recalled: "Just a nervousness for astir 72 hours earlier and then, if you sewage nan result, a awesome relief."

When asked if he felt different this clip around, he said: "Absolutely not. No, no, worse."

O'Neill recalled that his first derby came aft "five aliases six games" successful charge, while Sunday arrives aft conscionable 1 this clip - Wednesday's 4-0 convention triumph complete Falkirk.

"I learned a awesome woody astatine nan Falkirk game, which was awesome for america - a restoration of confidence," he said. "So we'll spell into this crippled pinch that assurance and that's nan astir important thing.

"But moreover if I was present a period aliases something, it would beryllium really difficult to gauge precisely what nan players tin do."

Danny Rohl, half O'Neill's age, will beryllium successful nan other dugout successful only his 4th crippled arsenic Rangers caput coach.

"I've heard a batch of bully things and I deliberation I said this moreover earlier I sewage this job," O'Neill added.

"I deliberation a batch of nan players astatine Sheffield Wednesday were very complimentary astir him.

"That was a large triumph for them location astatine Easter Road [1-0 against Hibernian]. So they'll beryllium going to nan crippled pinch plentifulness of assurance themselves."