Eager observers may be drooling at the prospect of another Celtic rout in today’s Old Firm battle but Scott Brown is well aware that a five-star show is more the exception rather than the rule.

‘I wish it was that easy,” said the Celtic skipper as he reflected on the 5-1 savaging the Hoops inflicted on Rangers the last time the two teams met at Ibrox in April.

Celtic, who have rattled in 16 goals in six league matches so far this season, could go eight points clear of their hosts with victory in Govan today.

But Brown knows that a revamped Rangers will be determined to prove a point and he is certainly not taking anything for granted.

He said: “Rangers have spent a lot of money. They want to win the league and quite rightly so. A club the size of Rangers should be wanting to win the league.

“We want to win the league, Aberdeen want to win the league, Hearts want to win the league.

“The main thing is that you need to keep doing it consistently. We have been doing it consistently for a long period of time now under the gaffer and we need to maintain the levels we set. You have to respect everyone you play against. You never know what can happen on the day.

‘We have to go there and play as we have done all season. We have to maintain the standards the gaffer sets. Whether it is about runs with or without the ball, keeping the ball, defending well, being very compact, creating chances – these are all goals we aim to hit each year.

“If we could go to Ibrox and win, it would be a great step forward for us to keep kicking on. As a team we have another huge game to look forward against Anderlecht next midweek. It would give us a boost for that, too."