Pundit Alan Brazil reckons any psychological damage Rangers inflicted on Celtic could be undone by the winter Premiership shutdown.
The talkSPORT host believes Steven Gerrard will have been left frustrated with the three-week wait for his side's next competitive fixture after their breakthrough win away to the Premiership champions.
And Brazil even thinks the chance for both to regroup will play into Celtic's hands with Neil Lennon's side smarting after their defeat.
Celtic and Rangers have spent the last week in Dubai but the former Scotland international reckons the Ibrox boss will view a spell in the sun as a missed opportunity.
The pair return to action next weekend for Scottish Cup duty before the Premiership gets back under way on January 23.
The 60-year-old, in his Sunday Post column, said: "It's a chance for Celtic to take a deep breath, take stock and reset ahead of the run-in.
"I doubt Steven Gerrard will see it the same way.
"For him, and Rangers, a few weeks off will feel like an opportunity lost.
"They had the momentum on their side and would have been desperate for the next game to come along.
"They'd have fancied themselves to kick on and put Celtic under major pressure. Instead,they're kicking their heels.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying a week in Dubai is any great hardship. They'll put in the work over there, just as Celtic will.
"But instead of backing the Hoops into a corner after their Parkhead victory, Rangers have been sent back to theirs.
"Listen, it might work out for the Gers anyway but I think it's just as likely to work in Celtic's favour."
Gerrard's side beat their rivals in the final fixture of the shutdown in 2018 but failed to push on in the second half of the season.
But Rangers have a game in hand over their the Hoops this time around and nine of their next 14 Premiership games are at Ibrox.
