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Picture Nacho Novo celebrates against Celtic.

GOALS DON'T GUARANTEE PLACE - NOVO

By Lisa Gray, Chief Scottish Football Writer

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Nacho Novo claimed a double against Celtic to send Rangers joint top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League with their Old Firm rivals.

But the Spanish striker, 28, admits he has no idea whether he has done enough to guarantee a place in Tuesday's Champions League clash with Barcelona.

Novo was shocked to be handed a starting berth against Celtic at Ibrox yesterday, having failed even to make the bench in recent weeks, and he is well aware that competition for places will be fierce for the visit of the Catalan giants.

"My confidence is high and it would mean a lot for me to play against Barcelona but who knows?" he said.

"We just have to wait and see what happens. They are a big team, and they are a Spanish team as well so it would be special for me.

"Every single player would love to play in that game because they are a massive club. But the manager is the one who has to decide and we just have to wait and see who plays."

Novo opened the scoring with a superb diving header, before skipper Barry Ferguson stunned Celtic by bagging his first Old Firm goal in five years.

Charlie Adam then won the home side a penalty and it was Novo who snatched the ball before lashing home from 12 yards to claim his second of the day.

He eventually left the park to a standing ovation and confesses he was shocked to make Walter Smith's starting XI for such a massive encounter.

"I just had to work hard and wait for my chance," he said. "I wasn't even on the bench for the last few weeks and that is hard but you have to think of the team as well.

"The gaffer is doing a great job. It's difficult to keep everyone happy because we have a massive squad and every single player is working really hard.

"You just have to look forward and work hard every week to have the chance to get in the team."

Novo's current deal expires at the end of the season but he insists his legendary work-rate and desire to impress is down to a love of Rangers rather than an attempt to secure a new contract.

"Maybe some people think I am trying to do well so that I can win a new contract but that doesn't bother me," he said.

"Six years ago, I came here and played in the First Division. Now I am at Rangers and I have gone from playing in the First Division to playing in the Champions League.

"I love scoring goals for this beautiful club. If they want me to stay, I'm happy to do that, I'd love to stay at Rangers. But I'm playing for the jersey, not for new contracts."

Meanwhile, Gordon Strachan refused to use injuries as an excuse for the capitulation at Ibrox.

The Hoops boss was already without several first-team players before losing skipper Stephen McManus just before half-time following a sickening clash of heads.

But Strachan insisted: "That's not what I'm looking at. It would be easy for me to do that and a get-out for the players.

"I don't think you should do that. What I was looking at was how people handled a crisis and we got beat 3-0 so that tells you how we handled it."

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