CELTIC manager Tommy Burns yesterday issued a thinly-disguised swipe at Pierre Van Hooijdonk as he urged for an end to the “anarchy” which threatens their pursuit of Rangers.
Burns demanded an end to infighting as the Glasgow club battle to protect their cherished record of nine successive championships achieved under the late Jock Stein.
But he gave no indication that top goalscorer Van Hooijdonk, who is wrangling over his contract and his long-term future, will return to the side when Celtic visit Dunfermline tonight.
It is the first of three games as Celtic start to play catch-up on Walter Smith’s Rangers and midfielder Phil O’Donnell will return after a four-month injury absence.
The Van Hooijdonk saga is in danger of assuming Christmas pantomime proportions.
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DANISH sizzlers Brian Laudrup and Erik Bo Andersen helped Rangers stretch their lead at the top of the Scottish premier division last night and saved Paul Gascoigne’s bacon.
Rangers recovered from the shock of a fourth minute opener by bottom club Kilmarnock through Ray Montgomerie to claim yet another Ibrox victory in their pursuit of a ninth successive title.
Andersen, standing in for Ally McCoist, scored a hat-trick and David Robertson once as Walter Smith’s side streaked 12 points clear of Aberdeen at the top. Mark Roberts snatched a late second for Killie who stay a point behind Raith at the bottom.
Arch rivals Celtic are 14 points adrift with three matches in hand the first at Dunfermline tonight.
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IT all looked so familiar when Micky Donnelly stepped up to take Cliftonville’s first penalty in the sudden death shoot-out at the Oval last night.
He placed a weak shot to Glentoran goalkeeper Neil Armstrong’s left but the only trouble the keeper had was almost diving too early to make the save.
But it was not to be the familiar tale of a Cliftonville failure after penalties because Tim McCann finally saved the day with the decisive score for a 5-4 win.
Barry O’Connor, Stephen Small, Paul Rice and Paul Stokes were the other spot kick scorers for Cliftonville.
John Devine, Rory Hamill, Stephen Livingstone and Andy Kirk had the Glen’s scores.
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Nigel Rafferty will meet Darren Corbett in an Irish title fight on January 28 at the Ulster Hall.
Corbett enjoyed a convincing knock-out win after one minute and 38 seconds of the first round against Chris Woollas at the Doncaster Dome last night, after which he announced plans to defend his Irish title.
Corbett made short work of his second professional meeting with Woollas this year. The big Northside Gym trained fighter came out strong from the first bell of the six-round bout and forced Woollas to take a count after catching him with powerful right. Before Woollas could gather his thoughts after the count, Corbett again floored him, stockpiling a series of left handed shots.
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CARRICKMORE and Errigal Ciaran meet again on Sunday in yet another battle for supremacy, this time the Division One League title is the prize at stake.
It’s a repeat of the championship final, and a huge crowd is expected in Fintona for this pre-Christmas footballing bonanza, a mouth-watering league final between the county’s top two sides.
Carrickmore are going not only for their second successive double but also an incredible fifth league title on the trot, a remarkable record by any standards.
But they have been hit by a series of devastating blows in recent weeks which will mean the champions will be forced to field a vastly understrength side.
Seamus McCallan and Mickey Bradley were both sent off in last Sunday’s semifinal victory over Drumquin and are out of the game.
And with Raymond Munroe and Brian Gormley suspended as well, the outlook is far from bright for Carrickmore, who will also be without the injured Ciaran Loughran. But their strength in depth has always been one of the main assets, and the players chosen to step in will no doubt be able to meet the challenge.
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HILLSBOROUGH could be full for the first time since Euro 96 when Sheffield Wednesday entertain Manchester United tonight – but David Beckham could miss the big occasion.
Alex Ferguson is ready to rest the young England star after a 23-game autumn rather than risk Christmas burnout as the defending champions set about narrowing the gap on leaders Arsenal.
“I have to look at the whole picture,” said the United boss.
“The boy’s done a great job for us over the last few months and he hasn’t missed a match.
“He and Eric Cantona have 100 per cent record in the league and Europe so it is a possibility that I may rest him.
“It’s not a gamble if you look at how tired he was in the West Ham game. I think it might be the right thing to do.
“Obviously you want all your best players playing and the boy has been exceptionally good this season and has shown what a tremendous player he is going to be.
“But that is why we have got a pool of players – it is no point having that if they don’t earn their money.”
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GORDON STRACHAN celebrated his first win as Coventry City manager as his side moved off the bottom of the Premiership table with a 2-1 win over Newcastle.
Goals from former Newcastle player Darren Huckerby and skipper Gary McAllister enabled the Sky Blues to register their first win in 11 starts since early September.
It also continued Newcastle’s current slump which, either side of their European triumphs, has seen them collect only three points from their last five league matches.
Alan Shearer scored the Newcastle goal last night.
