Rangers boss Ally McCoist has hit back at Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs' calls for a strong refereeing display in Monday night's Ibrox clash - offering to let the Easter Road coach officiate the game himself.
McCoist was angered by comments made by old advisory Stubbs in his weekly press conference on Thursday.
The former Celtic defender urged whistler Calum Murray to show a fair hand to both sides in next week's Scottish Championship clash as he questioned a number of decisions which have gone in the Light Blues' favour this season.
Hibs first visited Glasgow last month but saw their hopes of a Petrofac Training Cup win fall apart when referee John Beaton sent-off Danny Handling for a late challenge on David Templeton.
Rangers eventually clinched a 1-0 win after extra-time and Stubbs believes McCoist's side have carried their luck with refereeing decisions ever since, even highlighting their League Cup third-round 3-1 win over Falkirk this week.
The Bairns were trailing by a goal with just a minute to go when they claimed Bilel Mohsni was guilty of a penalty-box handball. Referee Alan Muir - who will be fourth official on Monday - waved the appeal away and Rangers cemented their win with Ian Black's late strike.
That led Stubbs to say: "I'm not asking for anything that's any different. I expect refereeing decisions to be consistent.
"I'm sure Peter Houston would be saying the same thing just now. I've seen the hand ball ... it's a hand ball.
"The Danny Handling red card in that last game for us at Ibrox was also a turning point. I don't think I'm saying anything untoward there.
"I thought it was a harsh decision at the time and I still think that."
But McCoist responded by saying: "If Stubbsy wants to pick the referee I don't have a problem with that. If he wants to referee the game himself I don't have a problem with that either.
"[His comments were] interesting. The only thing he failed to mention was that we could have had a corner against Falkirk on Tuesday which the referee failed to spot.
"Stubbsy has been commenting on other games which is fine, that's up to him. But we're not getting carried away. The referee is as experienced as they come. He's a very good and competent referee. I'm very happy with that."
Hearts boss Robbie Neilson has already suggested this season that Rangers are unfairly benefited by referees when he claimed he had sent his side to Ibrox last month prepared to finish the game with 10 men.
But McCoist insists his side have received no favours.
He said: "Have we had a fair shake from referees this season? Have the opposition? Oh absolutely. I don't think there is any doubt about that. I don't think Stubbsy was suggesting that [wasn't the case] - or I would hope that he wasn't.
"The referees have got a hard enough job to do and some decisions go for you and some go against you.
"But we have got a hard enough job without commenting on other games to be honest with you."
Meanwhile, McCoist admits he is unlikely to have either Lewis Macleod or Nicky Clark back in his squad for Monday's Scottish Championship clash with Hibernian.
Midfielder Macleod missed Tuesday's 3-1 win over Falkirk with a ankle knock sustained against Alloa last weekend, while striker Clark has a shoulder problem picked up in the same game.
Keeper Cammy Bell (shoulder) and frontman Kenny Miller (calf) are also out of the Ibrox meeting with Alan Stubbs' side.
Provisional squad: Simonsen, Wallace, Zaliukas, McGregor, Mohsni, Shiels, McCulloch, Law, Black, Templeton, Peralta, Boyd, Smith, Robinson, Faure, Crawford, Daly, Foster, Aird, Hardie.
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