Celtic manager Martin O'Neill claims the first Old Firm battle of the season will help pick a battered Rangers up off the floor.

The Ibrox club were in a state of shock after their harrowing UEFA Cup exit at the hands of Viktoria Zizkov.

But the Parkhead boss is certain the Rangers players will still be relishing the big Glasgow showdown at Parkhead.

O'Neill insisted: "I personally don't believe that it will have any bearing at all on this match. It's a one-off game and I know from my own experience that these games mean a lot to the players.

"Last season when we played them in November we had just played in Valencia, which was a very difficult game, and despite doing all the travelling we came back to play Rangers and won the game.

"So I don't think that will have any bearing on the match. In Old Firm games the form of even 15 minutes ago goes out the window so they won't have a problem getting up for this one.

"They will get spurred on for this and will be looking forward to it as will ourselves."

The fact Rangers went out after 120 gruelling minutes has also given the champions the upper hand as they look to overall a one-point deficit at the top of the Scottish Premier League.

In contrast, O'Neill rested a clutch of first-team stars as they safely secured their passage into the second round with a 2-0 win in Lithuania to secure a 10-1 aggregate win over FK Suduva.

But he dismissed the tiredness factor too, insisting the occasion will give the players an extra spring in their step.

"Well you can judge it in any way you want after Sunday," added O'Neill. "But I don't believe players feel tired for an Old Firm game.

"They might feel tired during the game at times and in the Scottish Cup final we felt pretty tired even though we deserved to get beaten.

"We got beaten fairly and squarely and some people said it was a game too far, but this is a new season for us.

"It's a great match without a doubt and some matches surpass expectations and some never live up to it at all, but the atmosphere is great and the players respond to that every time."

O'Neill is set to unleash his freshened big guns following the UEFA Cup match.

Henrik Larsson, Chris Sutton, Neil Lennon, Paul Lambert, Stilian Petrov, Bobo Balde, Ulrik Laursen, Robert Douglas and Joos Valgaeren were rested while Steve Guppy also remained in Glasgow to have treatment on a back injury.

They are all ready to return while Alan Thompson and Jackie McNamara are winning their battles to recover from ankle and leg problems.

Rangers' Ronald de Boer is doubtful after picking up a knee injury against Dundee United last Saturday.

Although he took part in Thursday night's UEFA Cup tie and scored twice, it could now cost him his place against Celtic.