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‘Different mindset’: Rangers legend highlights key Morelos change ahead of Celtic clash
Brian Laudrup knows a thing or two about getting one over on Celtic.
He was a persistent thorn in their side during his four season at Rangers.
Laudrup left Ibrox with three league titles to his name, but it’s their 1995/96 Scottish Cup triumph that has occupied his thoughts this week.
It was the Dane who put Rangers in front against Celtic in that season’s semi-final, with Ally McCoist scoring the second in a 2-1 win.
They went on to lift the trophy with a 5-1 demolition of Hearts, in which Laudrup scored twice and laid on three for Gordon Durie.
⏪ in 1996, a Gordon Durie hat-trick and a Brian Laudrup brace saw defeat Hearts 5-1 to win the Scottish Cup.
— Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup)
If Rangers are to emulate that success, they will need to overcome Celtic in Sunday’s rescheduled fourth round tie at Ibrox, which was originally due to take place on Saturday.
One man who will go into the game full of confidence is Alfredo Morelos, who finally got off the mark against Celtic in last month’s 1-1 draw.
Laudrup has been thoroughly impressed with the improvement in Morelos’ performance over the last few months, following a sluggish start to the campaign.
Writing on page 79 of Wednesday’s , Laudrup said: “After 14 appearances without scoring against Celtic, he can go into this one with a completely different mindset now that he’s broken his duck.
“It must have been an incredible relief to him and none of his critics can speak about it anymore.
“With a league winner’s medal also secured, Morelos should feel relaxed as he approaches Sunday’s game. I don’t mean complacent; I mean relaxed in a good way, with a positive focus.
“Who would bet against him scoring again this weekend? He won’t be forcing the chances that come his way. He can play in the natural and effective style we have seen in big Europa League games. Psychologically, he will be much better off for that.
“I’ve spoken about Morelos a lot this season and my view has gone almost 180 degrees. At the start, it was an unhappy Morelos and a situation where it seemed as though Rangers would be better off without him.
“Now I look at him – and just listen to what (Steven) Gerrard is saying. He believes Morelos is probably the happiest he has ever been under his management.
“Deep down, I think Morelos is a typical goalscorer. They are quite individualistic by nature. They don’t play just for themselves, but the reason they score so many goals is that they are single-minded.
“Morelos has changed throughout this season at Ibrox. I think he has given himself to the team, accepting that he might not score as many as he used to. That shows a lot of character and maturity.
“I don’t know what’s happening in the background, but I hope it’s a sign of Morelos truly understanding where he is. He’s won a trophy and could be on course for another in the Scottish Cup. Next season he could be playing Champions League football.
“How many clubs give you those possibilities? Not many. Maybe Morelos might now be thinking of staying for another year or two. I think that would be great for Rangers.
“Time will tell on that front. More immediately, Morelos has a chance on Sunday to again show his full talent.”