IT’S SHOWTIME for Auston Trusty and Celtic in the derby encounter at Parkhead this afternoon.
The USA international centre-back is primed and good to go against Barry Ferguson’s Ibrox outfit as the champions hurtle towards the finishing line and their fourth successive Premiership title.
There are nine league games to go and Brendan Rodgers’ men hold an almost unassailable SIXTEEN-POINT advantage going into the third all-Glasgow encounter of the campaign.
A win today and back-to-back victories over Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday March 29 and against St Johnstone in Perth eight days later should see the championship flag flutter in the east end of Glasgow for the 55th occasion in the club’s phenomenal history.
DERBY CHALLENGE…Auston Trusty in action against Vaclav Cerny during Celtic’s Premier Sports League Cup Final triumph over Rangers in mid-December.
Trusty arrived at the Hoops on August transfer deadline day in a £6million switch from Sheffield United and the nearest he got to the action in the previous visit of Rangers, then managed by Philippe Clement, was a place on the substitutes’ bench as his new team romped to a 3-0 success.
The American played in the first-half of the Premier Sports League Cup success in mid-December, but was a touchline spectator again on January 2 when Rodgers’ side inexplicably collapsed to an identical scoreline in Govan.
Now the 6ft-plus stopper is poised for his debut in the league fixture and he said: “You do get a feeling it’s a big week.
“Throughout the season, we focus game by game, but we know this week is an opportunity for us to show what we are about.
“We are ready for it. We know the significance of the match with the rivalry in the city. There are the games you want to be involved in and the atmospheres you want to be around.
“Growing up in Philadelphia, I knew all about the atmosphere around this fixture. I don’t go out much. I go to training and live my life at home, but when you do go out you do feel the excitement.”
Twenty-six-year-old Trusty snapped back at observers who state this afternoon’s match is largely meaningless with the Hoops so far in front.
HAMPDEN HOORAYS…Auston Trusty joins skipper Callum McGregor and his victories team-mates after the American’s first honour as a Celt.
Cameron Carter-Vickers’ club and country team-mate, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “Those people are not players or part of our organisation. We can’t have that mindset.
“The atmosphere and environment in and around this team doesn’t allow it. There’s no room for it whatsoever.
“We are taking this very seriously. There are plenty of reasons why it matters.
“This is the kind of game that attracts you as a player. It’s these kinds of matches that provide so much emotion, good and bad. These are the situations you want to be involved in.
“The mindset comes from the top. The manager drives it all and we follow his lead. We give everything for him.”
Trusty added: “Out mindset is to treat every game like it’s a Cup Final. It doesn’t matter who we are playing against, whether it’s the Champions League, a domestic game or a big derby match.
“We don’t treat it any differently because all games are important.”
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Rangers this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
