LEIGH GRIFFITHS has never scored a goal at Ibrox – and the Celtic striker has pleaded with boss Brendan Rodgers to give him the opportunity to rectify that situation on Saturday.
The Hoops are aiming to make it a third win over Sevco Rangers after walloping them 5-1 in the Premiership at Parkhead in September and following that up by dumping Mark Warburton’s outfit 1-0 in the Betfred League Cup semi-final a month later.
Moussa Dembele has collected four goals in two games – including the perfect hat-trick in the east end of Glasgow – but has had to be content with coming on as a substitute for Griffiths in the last two games against Hamilton Accies (3-0) and Ross County (2-0).
And the Scottish international frontman is desperate to end the year in style.
He said: “I have never scored a goal at Ibrox, so it seems like a nice time to go and do it.
“Obviously, I just want to be involved, so we’ll see what happens.
“Our aim at the start of the month was to get through December unbeaten and take maximum points from all eight domestic games.
“This is the final one now, so it would be a nice way for us to sign off.”
Parkhead gaffer Rodgers could give consideration to teaming up Griffiths with Dembele against their fading opposition who are 16 points behind and have played one more game.
The former Hibs and Wolves hitman netted 40 goals last season, but it has been a different story this time around after the emergence of the French Under-21 international.
Griffiths added: “I just want to play my part. Hopefully, I can be involved. It has been a bit stop, start with one thing and another, but we’ll just have to wait and see what the manager goes with.
“I am hungry, though. I have not lost any self-belief. I always fancy myself to score if I am playing.
“It would be nice to round off this year by getting a goal at Ibrox, but I think we all know that the main thing is that we get all three points.
“Naturally, it has been a hard month because there have been so many games, but it has been good, I think we feel as if we have worked hard and we are seeing the reward for that.
“There is one big push to go, so, hopefully, we can come out of this year in a good frame of mind before getting ready to go again at the end of January.”
