After scoring the equaliser in the Scottish Cup fifth-round clash at Ibrox in February, Brown celebrated by standing still with his arms outstretched in front of Diouf, with whom he had been engaged in a sledging battle all afternoon.

Diouf got his own back with copy-cat celebrations while holding the Co-operative Insurance Cup after the Light Blues beat Celtic 2-1 after extra-time in the final at Hampden last month, which will add further spice, if needed, to the seventh Old Firm game of the season after the Clydesdale Bank Premier League splits in two.

However, Brown played down apparent tensions between him and Diouf in particular, and the two sides in general.

"It's friendly banter," the Scotland midfielder said. "Whatever happens on the park stays on the park. The Old Firm games have been great. It will be a record seven games this season.

"There is one more to go and I'm looking forward to it. The more the merrier."

SPL leaders Celtic travel to Inverness tomorrow looking to keep their two-point advantage over Rangers, who have played a game less.

Brown believes the side with the most "bottle" will emerge triumphant at the end of the title race and admits the sight of the Rangers players celebrating at Hampden will be used as motivation.

"It's always going to be tight," he said. "There is a lot of pressure on us and a lot of pressure on them as well so, at the end of the day, it's about who has got the bottle to go and win the league.

"We got beat in the final and we don't want that to happen again. We saw Rangers celebrating and it wasn't nice. We spoke about that in the changing room but we have to get on with it.

"There are two more trophies remaining and we want them. We have to make sure the cup defeat is out of everyone's mind.

"We can't go into the game on Saturday being depressed and feeling sorry for ourselves, we have to get right back into it."

Neil Lennon again failed to turn up for Celtic's pre-match press conference at Parkhead.

The Hoops manager has not spoken to the media since before the Scottish Cup replay win over Rangers on March 2, which ended with the Irishman and Ibrox assistant Ally McCoist having to be separated at the end of a tempestuous game.

Brown recognises a kindred spirit in his gaffer, who is serving a four-match touchline ban after being sent to the stand at Tynecastle last November, and whose four-match ban for the incident with McCoist is currently subject to some uncertainty in terms of whether it is to run concurrently or consecutively.

"I think it is passion for the game and you don't want to take that out of him," Brown said. "It's the same as me, we are both similar people.

"We want to win and that's what drives him on and that's what drives me on. You have to be a winner at this club and if you look at this dressing room, all the lads want to win."

Celtic assistant boss Johan Mjallby again took over media duties today and said: "I haven't really spoken to Neil about when he wants to start doing the media again, but I think he will be back soon.

"Obviously he is my boss and if he tells me to do it, then I do it."