MX23RW : Wednesday, December 18 13:56:18| >> :600:111468:111468:

St Johnstone's Liam Craig relishing Rangers double-header

St Johnstone's Liam Craig relishing Rangers double-header
© Reuters
St Johnstone face the champions in league and cup action this week.

St Johnstone midfielder Liam Craig is relishing the prospect of taking on Rangers twice this week as the Perth side bid for success on two fronts.

Saints host the Scottish Premiership champions on Wednesday aiming to boost their hopes of a top-five finish and a potential European place.

They then travel to Ibrox on Sunday to take on the favourites in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals.

Craig said: "We want to finish fifth in the league so it's a huge game for us and, after losing to Aberdeen the other week, we have made it more difficult for ourselves.

"The cup game will take care of itself. It's a different venue, on a different day, and I imagine it will be different personnel. Steven Gerrard came out and said potentially he was going to rotate his squad as well.

"So two totally different games but two very difficult games. But we want to make it as difficult for Rangers as we can.

"It will be hard enough to beat them once in a season never mind twice in four days.

"But these are the games you want to be involved in as players, in the latter stages of the cup competitions and fighting for European places at the end of the season."

Saints had a tough run of games against Celtic two seasons ago, losing three times in 11 days, but Craig has more positive memories of a double header.

"I remember in 2013 getting beat 5-0 at Celtic Park in the League Cup quarter-final on the Wednesday and then we went back there 10 days later and drew 1-1," he said.

"So you can learn stuff but Rangers have got such belief and confidence and a strong squad that we know how difficult it's going to be.

"You can see right through their team they have match-winners and Steven Davis even scoring overhead kicks, he is usually a wee bit deeper dictating the play.

"But we have put ourselves in a position to compete with these teams and we want to go and put in a performance."

ID:444054: cacheID:444054:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3348:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Rangers' James Tavernier receives medical attention after sustaining an injury in the Europa League on February 18, 2021
Read Next:
Gary McAllister believes Tavernier and Patterson could fit into the same team
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic1514104444043
2Aberdeen16104230181234
3RangersRangers1510232791832
4Motherwell168172226-425
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd166642519624
6St Mirren176382228-621
7Dundee165472729-219
8Kilmarnock174581834-1617
9Hibernian173682129-815
10Ross County173681333-2015
11St Johnstone1742112032-1214
12Hearts1734101826-813


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!