Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has defended Rangers manager Graeme Murty ahead of Sunday's William Hill semi-final clash between the teams.

A statement this week from Rangers chairman Dave King appeared to significantly undermine Murty's position in terms of his long-term future at Rangers.

And Rodgers believes that the Gers manager deserves his chance to prove himself.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers insists gap remains between Celtic and Rangers remains prevalent

“I think he has done a very good job," said Rodgers. "I suspect if you go back and read the headlines and the columnists in the lead-up to the game at Ibrox they were talking about what a great job he was doing and that the team were in a great moment, in great confidence.

"He loses a game against us and then the world changes. But that is not football. It is about building, it is about creating and just step by step. What he tried to do in difficult circumstance was to try to create that but it is difficult if you aren’t there permanently, and then he got the job until the end of the season.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers insists gap remains between Celtic and Rangers remains prevalent

"But I just think of everything. It was all there in the papers that he was doing a great job so it can’t be that if a few results don’t go your way that he is not even thought about as a manager. I think he has done very well. He has brought them together, brought in some good players and got them all fighting. You can’t win every game but he has done a good job.

“Supporters and everyone associated with a club always want to succeed so you know when you work at the biggest clubs that is the expectation. Graeme will not have needed the light shone on anything. He knows that at the big clubs you need to succeed."