LEIGH Griffiths has predicted that he and Moussa Dembele could "run riot" against Rangers in the BetFred Cup semi-final on Sunday. Now all he needs is manager Brendan Rodgers to succumb to popular demand and name them both in his starting eleven. Forget all about those supposed shortcomings at international level. The 26-year-old from Leith knows his real battle for a starting spot is at his club side.
"There's been a lot of talk about the manager fitting us both into the team," said Griffiths. "Could he play with both of us against Rangers? That's up to him, whether he can or can't. If not I will sit on the bench and wait for my chance. But would I like to see it? Of course I would. That would mean I am back in the team.
"I think both of us up top against Rangers is something the fans would want to see," he added. "Rangers wouldn't be expecting it. They would be surprised. But the two people who would find it most enjoyable would be myself and Moussa because we could go and run riot."
Read more: Scott Brown: Rangers will perform better against Celtic in semi-final without Joey Barton
As well as the last Old Firm match went for Celtic, it went perhaps too well for the former Hibs striker. It was widely assumed it would be the Parkhead side's loss when he succumbed to a hamstring injury in the days leading up to the game and had to settle for a seat in the stands but in fact the opposite was the case. As Moussa Dembele helped himself to a hat-trick that day, no-one suspected that Griffiths wouldn't have started another match for club or country by the time the next meeting with Rangers came round.
Little wonder then that Griffiths was doing everything in his power to issue a reminder on Wednesday night to his manager about what he has to offer. Chances were limited to make an impact on the field in that 2-0 Champions League defeat to Borussia Moenchengladbach but from the days where he got his agent involved when Dundee preferred to use him coming in off the flanks rather than through the middle, the 26-year-old has never the type to sit quietly in the background. Often the reminder is delivered with a joke or a smile - think the #shorty Twitter name change or a saying 'It feels like Ronny Deila is back' after the defeat to Borussia - but the message is deadly serious. While I won't sit on the bench with my "face tripping me", neither will I make it easy for you to leave me out of your first team.
Read more: Scott Brown: Rangers will perform better against Celtic in semi-final without Joey Barton
The reference to Deila was his realisation that 20 goals during the Norwegian's first campaign was insufficient to insulate him from losing his place to new signing Nadir Ciftci at the start of last season. Having scored two against Malmo, and capitalised on the Turk's early season domestic suspension, he never looked back.
"I was totally gutted that I couldn't play [in the 5-1 game]," he said. "My injury cost us and I watched it from the stand. Moussa came in and I was the first to congratulate Moussa on his hat trick. He is a terrific talent for us, a great player. He showed that against Rangers and against Manchester City.
"Good on him," added Griffiths. "If I was in his position I would be delighted with myself. If I was him and the manager dropped me I would be asking questions because he has been doing so well. So I have no qualms about that but as a striker I want to play as much as possible.
"It's great to have competition but I am a striker and I am selfish. I want to be back in that team and back scoring goals. Touch wood I don't get injured between now and Sunday. I will be champing at the bit to be in the starting XI."
As much of a corrective as the defeat to Moenchengladbach offered after the heady optimism of the draw against Manchester City, Griffiths feels that the Old Firm semi-final provides the perfect chance to get the result off their chest. As emphatic victors as Celtic were at Parkhead in September, this is the first meeting between the teams at Hampden since Rangers won on penalties last Spring, Griffiths hitting the bar with a free kick in the last minute of extra time.
Read more: Scott Brown: Rangers will perform better against Celtic in semi-final without Joey Barton
"You don't need lifted for a derby against Rangers in a semi final at Hampden," said Griffiths. "If you do you need your head looked at. The Borussia game is gone but there's no better game to look forward to than against Rangers on Sunday.
"We have the chance to reach a national final," he added. "That should be all the motivation you need and especially since it's against our greatest rivals. They will be wanting to put one over us after the result they had here earlier this season. But we have a day to recover and we will go back in training on Friday and Saturday and on Sunday hopefully we will have a cup final to look forward to."
As much of a blow as Wednesday night was to the club's hopes of taking a Europa League place Griffiths remains upbeat ahead of the trip to Germany in a fortnight's time. "Our aim is to blow teams away in Scotland and nights like Wednesday we want to better ourselves so it was disappointing," he said. "But we have another difficult game to come against them in Germany and I've no doubt the players in our dressing room will be going there confident of getting a result."
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