Allan McGregor became the third oldest player to feature in 135 years of Old Firm history this week and is on course to break the all-time record if he plays in the remaining games between Rangers and Celtic this season.

The veteran Ibrox keeper turns 41 later this month and helped Rangers to a point in a pulsating 2-2 draw at Ibrox in the traditional New Year's fixture.

Only Rangers' David Weir in 2011 and Celtic's Alex McNair in 1925 have been older than the former Scotland keeper in Old Firm fixtures.

Weir was just a few days away from his 41st birthday when he played in a goalless draw in April 2011.

And McNair was 41 and two months when he featured for the Hoops in what was also a goalless draw in 1923. He played a total of 641 games for Celtic which would have been even more if it wasn't for the First World War.

Rangers' Dougie Gray - the longest-serving player in the club's history having played at Ibrox for 22 years - could also lay claim to playing in an Old Firm encounter when he was 41, but they were in unofficial wartime matches.

And if McGregor stays fit and plays in the two remaining league matches, he will make history as the oldest player to feature in the historic fixture.

He made his Old Firm debut in a 2-0 defeat at Parkhead in September 2006.

Meanwhile, Rangers boss Michael Beale believes the cinch Premiership title is Celtic’s “to throw away” after the 2-2 draw at Ibrox kept them nine points clear at the top.

He said: “In the big games, it is big moments, isn’t it? I am sure there will be a little bit of regret on both goals – more than a little bit of regret.

“We should do better. We are the home team and, as a group, when I worked with them previously, they pride themselves on clean sheets. That is the third time we have let in two goals, so we are going to have to improve on that.

“Certainly in big games at home, I am not sure we are going to be able to let in two goals, and not two the way that we did.

“That might seem harsh on the team but that is the reality. We did a lot of good things. We are no further away than we were five games ago.

“The points are the same. There’s 18 games to play. It is Celtic’s to throw away in terms of the league but in terms of our mentality and where we are, I think we are one or two steps ahead than we were a few weeks ago but we need to be 10 more.

“I thought in terms of where we are at, that’s the best performance since I came here.

“We were very unfortunate not to win the game. I wouldn’t say we were clearly the better team so a draw to some people’s eyes might be fair also.”