Former Celtic striker Frank McAvennie has tipped Moussa Dembele to hurt Rangers in the Europa League clash at Ibrox on Thursday. The Frenchman has four goals in five games since returning from a successful loan spell at Atletico Madrid and will be targeting a successful return to Ibrox.
McAvennie told Football Insider that Dembele will be looking forward to getting back and hope to carry on his impressive record from the Glasgow Derby into games for Lyon.
“It would be nice, wouldn’t it? He’s a good player in cracking form but he won’t be going to Ibrox with that in mind.
“I’m sure the fans will be giving him stick for his Celtic ties but he’s so far removed from Celtic now.
“He will enjoy it, he will remember going there and scoring goals and he wants to repeat that for his new club.
“I don’t think there will be any thought of Celtic for him there. We know how good he is. He could run that Rangers team ragged.
“I always said he could play higher than where he is and Rangers can’t give him an inch.
“He’s the danger man. It will be a good battle I’m sure.”
The 25-year-old was excellent for the club before leaving in a £20m deal for Lyon after falling out with Brendan Rodgers. It would have been expected for Dembele to really kick on and go to the top level instead of remaining in France but the deal to take him to Madrid on a permanent basis appeared to fall through, leaving him to spearhead the Peter Bosz attack.
Dembele called Celtic ‘the greatest club in the world’ previously. Dembele was a fan favourite instantly with a hat-trick against Rangers at Celtic Park. He actually managed seven goals and four assists in eight appearances against the Ibrox side. He scored 51 goals in 94 appearances across the two seasons, winning six trophies during his trophy-laden spell in Glasgow.
C’mon Moussa get another hat trick against them