Alex McLeish has tipped Pedro Caixinha to pull off a derby day shock and take a point from Celtic.
Last season the fifth best coach in Qatar was barely able to lay a glove on the hoops as Brendan Rodgers led his side to wins at Hampden and Ibrox within the space of a week.
With Celtic five points clear after six matches the pressure is on Caixinha to stay in touch with the hoops after his embarrassing exit from the Europa League.
McLeish was overlooked for the job in March after making his interest obvious but is tipping the successful candidate to come out of the Ibrox clash with a point.
Speaking to The Sun the former Scotland boss said: “On current form, it says Celtic are still the best team but you never know at Ibrox.
“Pedro Caixinha is due a big result and that could mean a draw because at this moment in time Celtic are ahead of Rangers.
“Rangers are stuttering and they need to put a wee run of victories together.
“It’s one good victory then there is a draw, then a victory and another draw. Then there was the defeat against Hibs.
“The guys have not yet found their rhythm. You have to be fair to Caixinha and say he has to integrate them into the Scottish game and get them up to speed.
“Some may be lacking a little bit of fitness. They have to show they are a different quality to the Scottish and English players.”
McLeish managed the old Rangers club during the height of the EBT scam which was declared illegal by the Supreme Court in July.
As well as his own salary the former Ibrox boss collected £1.7m in EBT payments, had that money been put through traditional payments it would have cost the club an extra £800,000 per year.
