STEVEN GERRARD has urged Rangers to learn their lessons from the Ibrox defeat to Celtic and cut out the individual mistakes at Hampden.

The Light Blues were beaten 2-0 on home soil by Neil Lennon’s side in September as the Hoops inflicted Rangers' only league defeat of the season so far.

Defender Connor Goldson made a costly error in the build-up to the first goal and Gerrard knows there is no room for sloppiness with the Betfred Cup silverware on the line.

He said: “We noticed pretty much that Celtic had changed their way of playing from manager to manager, from Brendan (Rodgers) to Neil.

“They changed their style and approach to it and the big learning curve was don’t make individual mistakes because we are all aware how important the first goal can be and the momentum.

“There was a lot of learning that came from the last one. I think Neil has certainly changed the style and they are a team that are in good form.

“We have to be ready. This team is different from the Brendan team even though the personnel is quite similar.

“It is difficult to predict. I am a manager, not a magician. It is difficult to predict. Anything can happen in finals, it is an emotional game and you have 22 emotional players in there.

“The occasion, you have to handle that and it is many things and different from your normal league game. In a league game, there is 50,000 on our side or 60,000 with them.

“Here, it is even on a neutral surface and it is who handles the occasion first and foremost. I am sure there will be parts of the game that are cagey at times but we want a positive performance.”

Rangers will rely on the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent to provide the moments of magic to see off Celtic and take the silverware back to Ibrox.

And boss Gerrard is confident his key men will stand up to the counted on the big stage once again after an impressive start to the campaign.

He said: “I hope so. And it’s the reason why we invested in Ryan because we believe he has the quality that can turn a match on this kind of stage.

“He can contribute on the big stage and I think you have seen that. But, look, there are many good footballers on both sides.

"This is what finals are all about. Who going to be the person or the team who provides the big moment on the big stage?

“Celtic have proved it prior. There is no way I’m going to disrespect what they have done. But we have an opportunity for that to be us. And that’s what excites me.

“I’ve always got confidence in my team. They are human beings and they are not always going to hit the heights that I’m trying to drive every single game.

“But more often than not, when facing a tough challenge, we have done ever so well. We have had some good rehearsals recently, Porto away and home, Feyenoord away and home.

“The level of this game shouldn’t shock us. But you still have to make you sure you go out and execute and play your part.”