O'Neill hopes Old Firm Cup clash lives up to billing

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill hopes today's Old Firm Scottish Cup clash lives up to the hype.

The Glasgow giants battle it out in the powder keg third round tie at Celtic Park with politicians and fans' groups calling for calm following recent clashes on and off the park.

"I think there is enough pressure in Old Firm games, to be perfectly honest, so I don't know whether you would want to heap any more on," O'Neill said.

"It is a tough encounter and it is interesting that up until recent matches I think there was a number of newspaper comments that the heat had gone out of the Old Firm games.

"And it was almost as if to say, 'We want a throw back to the old days,' or something. There has been a bit of action in recent games and it looks like we don't really want it.

"They are still wonderful occasions, to be honest, and I just hope that the football lives up to the hype."

O'Neill lamented the loss of suspended midfielder Neil Lennon, which he said would boost Rangers.

"They will be pretty pleased Neil Lennon is not playing. He has played in quite a number of these fixtures and he has really controlled the midfield so he is a major loss to us."

Rangers have failed to beat their rivals at Celtic Park for almost five years since a Rod Wallace goal earned them a 1-0 league win in March 2000.