Celtic add to McLeish misery

Celtic 2 Rangers 0

The under-fire boss, whose side have slipped a huge 12 points behind their arch-rivals in the Bank of Scotland Premier League title race - faced more questions on his future in the aftermath of another disappointing display but this time in the latest Old Firm derby at Parkhead.

The sides meet again in 10 days’ time and McLeish said: “I am going to take a planned break for a couple of days.

“As far as I’m concerned we are planning for the game in 10 days’ time. As long as I’m here I’ll keep fighting. That (getting the sack) is not for me to decide but I’ll certainly keep fighting.

“Of course it’s tough at the minute but we have got to show resilience and fight and show leadership but that’s not easy at the moment.

“We can’t afford not to be getting results - it’s as simple as that - but that’s not for me to decide if something else is going to happen.

“I’ll be first to know (about the sack) and you guys will probably be second after that. But if it doesn’t happen then I will be here for the game in 10 days’ time.”

Skipper Barry Ferguson also cut a gloomy figure when he faced the media and admitted he fears for the future of McLeish after a run of just two wins in 11 matches.

“It certainly dawned on me that it could be the manager’s last game,” said the midfielder. “You will have to ask the other players what they think. Everybody knows that results matter and we have not been getting the right results for the gaffer.”

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan refused to answer questions on his close friend McLeish and added: “I don’t want to speak about Alex - I spoke to Alex face to face and that’s enough.”

But it was sweet revenge for him after his first Old Firm experience ended in disaster with two men being sent off in a 3-1 defeat at Ibrox in August.

His first Glasgow derby win came courtesy of a spectacular Shaun Maloney 30-yard strike and a late Stefan Klos own goal.

Strachan enthused: “Shaun wasn’t my man of the match. The goal was fantastic and what sums him up was the honesty of the wee kid.

“I was going round at half-time and he said ‘before you start I know I can get better’ so I said ‘fine’ and I went to somebody else and he got better.”

A moment of madness from Sotirios Kyrgiakos made Rangers’ mission impossible and the Greek defender faces internal disciplinary action for his show of petulance.

He applauded the referee after conceding a free-kick and was promptly shown his second yellow card.

McLeish said: “I need to have an explanation. I understand he was sent off for dissent but we will deal with that internally because you can’t afford to lose guys like Sotirios. It was too important for us to lose a man for dissent.”

Rangers’ night got even gloomier when Julien Rodriguez was helped off with a serious-looking injury.

CELTIC: Boruc, Telfer, Balde, McManus, Camara, Nakamura, Lennon, Petrov, McGeady (Varga 77), Hartson, Maloney.

RANGERS: Klos, Hutton, Rodriguez (Pierre-Fanfan 79), Kyrgiakos, Bernard (Lovenkrands 45), Namouchi, Ferguson, Ricksen, Murray, Prso, Thompson (Jeffers 56).

Referee: K Clark.

The Coca-Cola Football League Championship: Sheff Wed 1 (Eagles 65) Cardiff 3 (Koumas 9, Jerome 30, 38)

International: France 3 (Anelka 49, Cisse 80, Henry 88) Costa Rica 2 (Saborio 14, Fonseca 41).