DISCIPLINE. Character. Mental and physical strength. And a pinch of good fortune. The recipe which Gordon Strachan hopes can serve up a victory for Celtic in tomorrow's lunchtime kick-off at Ibrox.

Fans across the country - and much further afield - have been salivating at the prospect of this Old Firm game having been starved of their regular helping since way back in October.

The appetite has been sharpened by the fact a win for Rangers would go a long way towards delivering to Walter Smith's men the SPL title on a platter.

Three points for Celtic would allow Gordon Strachan's players to ram mushrooming criticism back down the throats of those who have been picking away at the champions for the past few months.

But, if the critics are to be made to eat humble pie, then it will take a serious change in Celtic's form - especially in front of goal where the strikers had recently been on meagre rations until Scott McDonald, Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Georgios Samaras helped themselves to a goal apiece against Gretna last weekend.

Strachan was left feeling sick on the previous visit to Ibrox as he side appeared not to have the stomach for the battle and were carved open in a 3-0 defeat.

With a more settled side, and all the key men available, he believes the tables can be turned.

But, Strachan is pragmatic as he makes the final preparations to his team, and made no attempt to underplay the importance of the 90 minutes.

He said: "It would make life very difficult if we lost. But we will go with the same attitude we do everywhere - we will try to win the game.

"I hope we play well, but in Old Firm games you need a bit of luck at times.

"You have to be prepared to handle anything as a manager, then you deal with what turns up."

Strachan's players would be well served to follow his example. He knows he faces another tough examination of everything in his locker, with every raw emotion exposed to the packed house and millions more watching on TV.

But, if any player is not up for this, then they are in the wrong job - or, at least, at the wrong club.

Strachan said: "A derby game will find out if you are mentally and physically strong.

"Most of the players have decent technique. But your physical and mental strength will be tested. And you need talent as well.

"It's nothing new, however. It's a test that has been going for hundreds of years, and it's not going to change.

"We will soon find out if they have the mental strength required."

That's what Rangers had in the last meeting, and Strachan is honest enough to admit: "We did not have a settled side back then, but they were the better team on the day.

"We have got to make sure that doesn't happen again."

Strachan has not lost faith in his players, even though they have not always delivered this season.

So he will resist the temptation to go for brute strength to try and combat Rangers' physical style. That means no recall for fit-again Bobo Balde, although Barry Robson could be handed a wide role in preference to Shunsuke Nakamura.

Strachan is comfortable that the better protection afforded players these days allows quality to count. It's not all down to who is the strongest. He is still able to smile at memories of happily being left out of the Manchester United side in the Eighties when they faced Wimbledon's infamous Crazy Gang whose default mode was all-in wrestling.

Now, Barcelona's midfield of Iniesta, Xavi and Deco proves Strachan's point that, if you are good enough you are big enough. And the masterclass from Croatia's Luka Modric at Hamdpen this week merely brought the point home.

"You don't have to be a giant as long as you have got that talent," said Strachan. "And what these guys have got as well is that mental strength.

"Old Firm matches have become more sanitised, because the rules have made the game more sanitised.

"It's easier to play football now than it was in the Seventies and Eighties, and the game is now a better product."

Not that everyone would agree. Despite make progress in Europe this season, both halves of the Old Firm have been heavily criticised.

Strachan responds: "No matter what anyone says, people want winning teams. That's the be all and end all.

"We all pontificate when your team is winning that they want to see this kind of glamorous football. But I can assure you, people want to see winning football.

"However, you can only play in the style of the players you have got, and it would be unwise to use your players not to their strengths."

So, McGeady will be encouraged to run at Rangers. McDonald will be given license to chase down every ball. Scott Brown will be given free rein to get stuck in. And Artur Boruc will be allowed to be Public Enemy No.1.

Strachan recognises the need for discipline, but he does not believe there is a need to shackle any of his players.

Invited to discuss Boruc's past indiscretions' at Ibrox, he said: "Do you know how bad Artur was once? He threw his gloves into the crowd. That's how nasty he was.

"Leaving Artur out of the way, we've all got responsibility to behave in a way that will not cause anyone to get upset.

"We tell our players to stay focused in every game. You have turn your anger into a positive thing."

And, he hopes, three vital points.