BARRY FERGUSON believes that Rangers need to respond to the disappointment of their Scottish Cup exit with a positive Old Firm performance.
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Rangers were knocked out of the Scottish Cup by St Johnstone on Sunday evening, meaning Steen Gerrard’s wait to win either cup competition in Scotland goes on.
The result frustrated supporters who have seen their team knocked out at this stage of the Scottish Cup three years running.
And while this season has brought about a level of consistency that abandoned them at previous stages in their last two campaigns, Sunday was a reminder that there is still work to be done.
Former Rangers captain Ferguson admits the cup exit was frustrating. But in his mind, Rangers have the perfect fixture to bounce back with when Celtic travel to Ibrox on Sunday.
"I'm expecting a reaction, and a big reaction at that,” he said on the Go Football Show.
"That was disappointing. That was an opportunity missed.
"I'm not taking anything away from St Johnstone who I praised and they played some decent stuff, but I want to see a reaction.
"I want them to come into training this week and work as hard as they have ever, to get that result on Sunday.
"They have let not just themselves down but they have let the supporters down because they fully expected them to get the double.
"There will be a lot of unhappy supporters.
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"When you play at Rangers you are expected to win games with the demands that are put on you, and that was a demand to get through into the semi-final.
"They need to dust themselves down, make sure the hard work goes in on the training ground, and get a reaction in the Old Firm game."
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