Dan Neil concedes Rangers have to be ready for a Celtic response next week following the Gers’ comprehensive 3-0 win over their Old Firm rivals on Sunday.

Vice-captain Neil, signed from Sunderland in the summer and skipper in the absence of injured Lawrence Shankland, guided in his first goal for the Light Blues from the edge of the box after 22 minutes of the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final clash at Ibrox.

New striker Kevin Kelsy fired in a second in the 59th minute, his first for Rangers, before midfielder Neil curled the ball into the top corner of the net from the edge of the box in the 75th minute to seal Rangers’ place in the semi-finals, where they will face Aberdeen at Barclays Hampden.

Rangers travel to Celtic Park in the William Hill Premiership next Sunday, trailing Martin O’Neill’s league-leading side by five points after six fixtures.

placeholder image — Rangers' Dan Neil heading towards the fans in Ibrox after scoring on Sunday during Premier Sports Cup quarter-final success over Celtic. (Photo by Steve Welsh/PA Wire)

Neil said: “They’re a good team and there’s going to be a reaction. And it’s at their place and although we’ve won on Sunday, by no means have we over-celebrated.

“We know that it’s job done this week, but we’ve got a massive game in the league.

“We got through in the League Cup which is brilliant and we are going to Hampden with a chance of a final.

“But we’re under no illusion about the league and the points at the minute and full focus is on next week before the international break.”

It was a tough start to his Rangers career for Neil who struggled like most of the Gers players at the start of the season, under new boss Derek McInnes.

The Govan club were knocked out of two European tournaments at the qualifying stages but have now won five in a row.

Neil said: “I thought all the lads carried out the game plan to an absolute tee, in possession and out of possession.

“I thought we were really aggressive, really intense but also mixed it up as well, we were really compact and narrow in a block and I thought we judged when to jump out of that block and go man-for-man very well.

“I think you’ve seen that probably in the last few games which is why the clean sheets are starting to come.

“But even when things weren’t going great, I was still enjoying it.

“I knew that there was going to be a turn in form from everybody because I see the quality in the changing room and maybe we just needed that little bit of getting to know each other’s games and getting to know each other as people as well.

“I think people underestimate how big that is in a changing room and you’ve seen a more together team over the last few weeks since the disappointment of Europe.

“I can see that off the pitch and I’m sure you can see it on the pitch as well and we have to keep striving to improve the relationships in the team and keep improving the actual football itself.”