RONNY Deila has predicted winning the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden next month will be “huge” for him as he bids to hold onto his job as Celtic manager.

Calls from Celtic supporters for Deila to be sacked have intensified in recent weeks as nearest rivals Aberdeen have reduced their lead at the top of the Premiership table to just a point.

However, the Norwegian, whose side take on Partick Thistle in the league at Firhill this afternoon, has admitted he is looking forward to the second Old Firm game of his reign at noon on Sunday, April 17.

“I think winning games is important,” he said. “To get through Rangers and get into the final is going to be a huge thing for the whole club, but also for me of course. I’m not thinking of losing. I’m thinking of winning all the time.”

Deila oversaw a comfortable Celtic victory over Rangers in the League Cup semi-final last season, but since then the fortunes of both of the Glasgow clubs have changed considerably.

Rangers have done well under new manager Mark Warburton and are 12 points clear in the Championship as well as being in the Challenge Cup final and the Scottish Cup semi-final and many of their supporters fancy them to triumph.

But Deila has - in the same week that Chris Sutton, the former Celtic striker, claimed that no Rangers player would get a place in the starting line-up at Parkhead - insisted that he still has greater quality at his disposal.

“I am confident in my players,” he said. “We have international players all over the pitch so you do not have to be a scientist to say that we have better players than Rangers right now.

“Rangers have done very well this year. They have taken steps and are a good football team. Having said that we are also leading our league. That means we have built the best team in Scotland so far."

Deila has stressed his players have to concentrate fully on their Premiership matches before the Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen, who have played one game more, pushing Celtic so hard in the league.

However, he believes the opportunity to make history and win their fifth consecutive Scottish title will spur his side on to overcome their shaky form in the league and close out the season on a high.

“Aberdeen have done very well and they deserve credit for that, but having said that we are now ten games away from having five-in-a-row and that is a lot for us to motivate ourselves with,” he said.

“If we keep winning games no-one can catch us. You want to be remembered. Five-in-a-row - has not been done many times in history. This is a very good opportunity. You have to enjoy this.

“There is interest all around the club, every game is important. Of course you enjoy it. You will remember it for the rest of your life. You have to do the right things, focus on the right things and get the performances right and the results right. Then in the end we can be celebrating.”

Meanwhile, Deila has stressed that he expects Carlton Cole, the former England striker who has been given leave of absence by Celtic for personal reasons, to return to Parkhead to see out the remainder of the contract.

“Carlton has not trained for a while now because he has some things he has to do,” he said. “Carlton is a fantastic person and a good player. There’s not so long left in the season now. We have to see what’s happening in the future.”

Deila, who has Nir Bitton back for the game against Partick today and is hoping to have Stefan Johansen available, has welcomed the Scotland call-up Celtic left back Kieran Tierney received on Thursday.

Tierney, 18, has been included in Gordon Strachan’s squad for the friendly against Denmark at Hampden on March 29 after impressing with Celtic during the 2015/16 campaign.

“I’m delighted for him,” he said. “It’s a big honour – and at that age as well. We have a lot of players in the international team again, so that means I have done something right and that’s positive for the club and for them, of course. For Kieran it’s a bonus for hard work.

“I’m quite sure he will have a good game if he gets the opportunity to play. He’s fearless, he’s strong, all the things that coaches like. Defensively, he’s very solid and if you close down your side then you can work on offensive play.

“But it starts with defence and a lot of full backs coming through now are offensively very good, but defensively not so good. He has to continue working and have the same curiosity and hunger and he can be a really, really good player. He is a good player already.”