- Pedro Caixinha thinks Celtic will target Alfredo Morelos to wind him up
- Colombian has impressed with eight goals for Rangers since joining this summer
- Manager is aware that Morelos possesses temper and can overreact at times
- He said: ‘He’s enjoying playing games but he needs to control his emotional side’
Pedro Caixinha has warned frontman Alfredo Morelos to maintain his composure during Saturday’s Old Firm showdown – because he fears Celtic will set out to ‘provoke’ him.
The Colombian has been Gers’ most impressive performer this term with eight goals since his summer switch from HJK Helsinki.
But there have been signs that the 21-year-old can be easily riled – he was lucky not to face punishment after appearing to kick out at Partick Thistle defender Jordan Turnbull during Friday night’s 2-2 draw.
Pedro Caixinha (left) thinks that Alfredo Morelos (right) will be targeted by Celtic
Now Caixinha believes the Hoops players will try to take advantage of his temper when the Glasgow giants clash for the first time this season at Ibrox.
The Rangers boss said: ‘He’s young, he’s gifted and he’s scoring goals.
‘He’s enjoying playing games but he needs to control his emotional side. I need to send an alert and that alert is that I know he is going to be provoked.
‘My concern and my job is making him calm and not responding to that. But he’s a guy that when things are growing and the environment is getting hot, he’s not stepping back and he faces the challenge.
‘He just needs to understand how to face the challenge – because he is going to be challenged.
The striker has impressed so far for Rangers, scoring eight goals this season
Caixinha is wary of asking his striker to change too much in case he loses his identity
‘I want him to have his temperament. If I take his temperament out then he’s losing his identity. He just needs to know how to control it. Especially in situations that are normal or when things are coming already as part of a game plan.’
Caixinha refused to discuss whether he has instructed his players to target any of Brendan Rodgers’ men.
But he admitted if he was the Parkhead manager, he would ensure his side did all they could to spark a reaction from Morelos.
‘I know that is going to happen,’ he replied when asked why he was so sure Morelos would be provoked. ‘The same way we analyse opponents we know the opponents analyse our team.
Morelos joined from HJK Helsinki in the summer and has become integral for Caixinha
‘If I was in that position I would say: ‘So if this guy is having a sort of challenge, something might happen if you do something extra’.
‘It’s going to happen. If I identify it, you identify it. Everybody can identify it.
‘I don’t care about [Celtic’s players] – I just care about Morelos and for him to understand if that happens, how he needs to react.nco