GEORGIOS SAMARAS will refuse to accept Celtic are closing in on the SPL championship - even if they win at Ibrox tomorrow.

The Greek internationalist is aiming to fire the Parkhead club seven points clear in the title race by inflicting a league defeat on Rangers at home for the first time in 14 months.

But Samaras insists his team-mates won't be getting carried away even if they win against Walter Smith's side.

He said: "It would be good for us if we could win the game and move seven points ahead. We would be extremely satisfied if that proves to be the case.

"But last season goes to prove that you can never predict what could happen. Remember, we were a number of points behind Rangers and they also had games in hand, but we still managed to recover to win the league.

"So, as much as a victory over Rangers tomorrow would be fantastic, we still won't be taking our foot off the gas."

Samaras must wait to see if manager Gordon Strachan will put him on from the start, or if Scott McDonald will get the nod in a 4-5-1 formation.

The Greek got back on the goal trail last weekend at Falkirk, as did the Australian, who was breaking a sequence of seven appearances without hitting the net.

With Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink considered short of the necessary match sharpness to start a game of this intensity - he only resumed training with the rest of the squad this week following his recovery from a groin muscle injury which has kept him out since October 4 - the onus to get goals against Rangers will remain with McDonald and Samaras.

Koki Mizuno also got on the scoresheet at Falkirk.

But Strachan is wary of pitching the 23-year-old Japanese midfielder into this atmosphere and is expected to give him a place on the bench.

He said: "I don't have a problem bringing in anyone who is in the squad. But, no matter how well you think you're prepared for your first Old Firm game, the intensity and everything else that comes with it is a surprise.

"It's nice to have a look at it to begin with, or have 20 minutes of it. But we will see."

Before his line-up can be confirmed, Strachan will make another check on Barry Robson, who has not made as much progress in his recovery from a thigh muscle injury as the manager would have liked.

Meanwhile, Strachan is also looking to the future and, with the transfer window set to open next week, he is continuing to scour the globe in his search for new talent.

The latest player reported to be invited to have a trial at Lennoxtown is 20-year-old Ghanaian central midfielder Sampson Cudjoe, who is rated at around £300,000 by his club Kessben FC.

A member of Ghana's Olympic side, Cudjoe has already spent some time this season on loan at Finnish club FC Honka, but a deal could not be agreed.