Rangers v Celtic: Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox could provide Premiership momentum

Former Rangers winger Peter Lovenkrands has his share of Old Firm memories, and a pair of Scottish Cup winners’ medals to match his two title successes with the club.

He believes that this season, with confidence and belief likely to play a part in the title run-in, success in one competition could influence the other.

“It can actually go in two different directions that way, but I think the whole league situation is just exciting and incredible,” he said. “Whoever wins this one will probably get that wee bit more confidence to go on and push on.

“I do think that has a big factor in what’s going to happen.

“You could flip it and say, ‘is it going to take a wee bit of confidence away because you’ve potentially knocked your biggest rival out to go and get a trophy? So, you’re going to potentially get a trophy, so are you going to focus a wee bit on that as well?’

“That takes a lot of your focus, where the other team can then pack that away because they can’t do anything about it anymore and then focus on the league.”

Lovenkrands believes Premiership leaders Hearts have the upper hand but sees plenty of twists to come, with his old club having positives in their favour.

“The other teams can take points off each other when the split happens and even before the split, you know, Motherwell’s playing Celtic and they also play Hearts away, I think they’re going to have a big factor in what’s going to go on,” said the Dane.

“For Rangers, that’s a positive, for Rangers, that’s good that they can take points off others.

“So, I think it will swing around, it will go close and it will go all around but I do think Hearts is definitely favourite right now.”