Dundee United midfielder Luca Stephenson spoke to the broadcast media to preview our William Hill Premiership clash with Rangers on Matchday 32.

The 22-year-old discussed a well-earned rest throughout the international break, keeping our Top Six hopes alive with another statement victory against the Old Firm and another year of improvement in the City of Discovery.

ON THE INTERNATIONAL BREAK

It's been good to have a little rest and get the lads refreshed and the energy back that we need for the final push. We obviously had a really busy schedule before the break and went through a really tough run before ending on a high note.

ON OUR TOP SIX HOPES REMAINING ALIVE 

People will write us off no doubt and it's still going to be a big task. We've got to win our games, do our job and rely on favours elsewhere as well but we’ve never going to give up on it.

Even if it doesn't happen, we've still got a lot to play for after the split regardless of where we are. Whether it's as a collective or on a personal level, there's always something to play for in football.

ON A BIG RESULT AGAINST CELTIC UNDERLINING THE SQUAD’S CHARACTER

It was massive and I think the big thing for us was obviously the way we kind of dropped them points against Dundee the week before. It would have been easy for us as a collective to sink in that moment and just feel sorry for ourselves because we played so well for 93 minutes and then threw it away. 

But the character of everybody in the dressing room showed to bounce back against one of the best teams in the league. We dominated in that game and were the better team throughout the full 90 minutes.

That again just gives us confidence going into the last few games.

ON OUR UPCOMING TRIP TO IBROX

It’s a big game for both teams. They've got their own ambitions going for the title and we know the pressure is going to be on them.

They can't afford to drop any points but we want to go there and ruin that atmosphere and ruin that excitement. We dampened Celtic's chances last time out and we'll try to do the same to Rangers.

We've taken real belief from the past two games. They have improved as the season's gone on, we know that. But it's roughly the same group of players that we've gone toe-to-toe with twice and I think if we're brutally honest we should have won both games.

It goes back to not finishing games off - it was an 87th-minute goal at Ibrox and it was a 98th-minute penalty at home.

We take massive belief from those two previous games that we can go and rise to the occasion again on Saturday. We know we can handle them and we know we can give them the right game.

ON FACING A REJUVINATED RANGERS

We spent all day today and througout the week preparing for what we’re going to face. We watch videos every day and we get sent stuff at home to watch, then we go through things on the training pitch. We're so well drilled into what they do and we know what to expect.

 

The only thing that has changed with Rangers is they've probably developed a little bit more confidence from when we played them earlier on in the season. They were way off the title race and not where they wanted to be. 

ON TURNING THE HOME CROWD 

You can look at it both ways. You can go in with fear and you can be scared of it or you can say we’re going to have a right go. The big crowd can get nervous and maybe start turning on them - that's our job to go in the first ten, 15 minutes and put them on the back foot.

Once the crowd turns and gets on the back a little bit then maybe we can take a bit of advantage of that and that'll be the plan.

We know how much the past couple of results against Celtic meant to the fans and the club. I think it's been a while since we’ve won at Ibrox as well - we want to be the ones to do that. 

We got so close back at the start of the season and we'll be really, really fired up this weekend.

ON ANOTHER YEAR OF DEVELOPMENT AT TANNADICE

It's benefitted me massively. I always wanted to come back and get more games under my belt to try and keep improving to a good level. I feel like I've grown into my character too.

I try and lead the team as much as I can and I think I've got better across all aspects. The data shows me that. The obvious ones are the goals and assists but all the stats that I get to see behind the scenes and ask for have improved compared to last year. 

 

I know I am getting better and this year has massively benefitted me to play under the manager again for another year.

ON CORRESPONDENCE WITH HIS PARENT CLUB

We have a Loans Manager at Liverpool called Gary Probert and I indirectly speak to the Manager via him. He passes messages on, comes to watch games and gives me debriefs after games.

They've all been sending the plaudits down of how well they've been doing from afar which is really positive to know. They're watching and they're impressed and it gives me a bit of inner belief as well.

ON WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS

It's difficult as a footballer. One minute you're getting told one thing, the next you're getting told something else. You never know when you get back from training that your agent's going to have sent you a text that something else has popped up.

There's always speculation going into this time of the season but I'm concentrating on the last seven games at Dundee United. I’ll give my everything to get points for this club and then I'll think about my future when that comes around on the 18th of May.

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