Celtic vs Rangers – Preview, Lineups, Key Men, Score Prediction | OneFootball

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Celtic welcome fierce rivals Rangers to Celtic Park on Sunday afternoon in what has been a sub-par campaign for both sides, but one in which either can still write themselves into the history books.

Rangers’ way in to the books will predominantly be through helping Hearts gain a stranglehold on the title, with only three games remaining to play. The Gers will surely find themselves as more than a footnote when the history books are written, if the Jambos become only the second side in 15 years to trip up Celtic on a title charge, with that record likely to be one of the least consequential amid the wider picture.

Danny Rohl will be looking to stop Celtic through any possible measures and with added urgency in the light of journalist Roger Hannah claiming that an inability to capitalise on opportunities will go against him in the end of the season review.

Rohl might draw from the spirit of Steven Gerrard’s side in 2021, who by securing the title, denied the bragging rights for Celtic of having become the first side to win ten in a row in Scotland.

Celtic may have missed a trick by not sticking with Martin O’Neill during his interim spell earlier in the season, when he proved to be more successful than they could have hoped for. By appointing Wilfried Nancy, the Celtic hierarchy squarely shifted the focus to the future, with the present taking a back seat. The feel-good factor surrounding O’Neill has thus somewhat diminished, with the narrative continuity being broken.

The Bhoys have a chance of doing the double, but speculation persists surrounding the identity of their manager for the upcoming campaign, with some remaining of the belief that O’Neill himself remains in contention.

In that sense, Celtic this season have become the club that inhabit only the future, when they could have anchored themselves in the present, especially with a figurehead like O’Neill available. If O’Neill is handed the job in the summer, the lingering thought that Celtic have shot themselves in the foot, and more than once at that, would remain.

Importantly for Scottish football, this game could have ramifications beyond just the three sides at the top, and a first winner not named Rangers or Celtic, since Aberdeen under Sir Alex Ferguson in the eighties, can possibly have a seismic impact on football in the land.

O’Neill wisely recognised the importance of the pool of title challengers deepening, when he said that he saw no reason why Hearts cannot go on to become regular contenders.

Indeed, Scottish fans need to look no further than the Serie A and the La Liga in the late nineties and early noughties, when title challenges were close run affairs, with more than the familiar names in contention. La Liga had Deportivo La Coruna and Valencia winning three titles over the course of five years, while Real Sociedad threatened on more than one occasion. Serie A had four different winners across four years, with the likes of Parma, Fiorentina, Inter Milan and Udinese remained credible contenders.

It could be argued that the two divisions had the best players in the world playing in them at that time, while clubs from Spain and Italy took turns to break the transfer record. Better players on Scottish shores is certainly not something fans would want to turn their noses up at.

Viewership records from 2024 and this season show that there is little that can generate excitement like a title race can, and if three or four clubs genuinely challenge for the title, that can only bring in more footfall, visibility and subsequently sponsorship. More entities could also be inclined to pick up a stake in a Scottish club, following Tony Bloom’s lead with Hearts.

Celtic and Rangers’ contributions to Scottish football have been immeasurable and innumerable, and in time to come, this game could be seen as another one to add to the list, though the contribution might occur through less direct means.

Colby Donovan, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Julian Araujo, Adam Montgomery, Callum Osmand, Jota and Tomas Cvancara remain unavailable for Celtic while positive updates are expected with regards to Daizen Maeda.

Bailey Rice is Rangers only absentee with Tuur Rommens and Ryan Naderi having made their returns the previous game.

Recent Form (league)

Celtic: WWWWL Rangers: LLWWW

Key Men

Celtic

Daizen Maeda was praised by his boss for coming back into form, and the forward will want to repay the faith held in him by the fans and the manager with a performance befitting of that faith.

Kelechi Iheanacho has been decisive off the bench in recent weeks and O’Neill will want him to make an impact off the bench, if he chooses not to start him.

Benjamin Nygren is two goals behind Tawanda Maswanhise in the top scorer’s chart and Nygren will want to be on top of that particular list by the end of the season, as he hopes that will lift his side to the top too.

Rangers

Emmanuel Fernandez has good reason to want to put in a shift, with Rohl indicating that the Gers hope to keep him beyond the summer. If that were to transpire, Fernandez would want to give himself and his side the chance to qualify for the Champions League.

Tochi Chukwuani has come in for praise for the forward-looking nature to his play, and the Dane will want to hassle Celtic’s defence throughout the tie. Chukwuani also recently claimed that he understood how much the title means to Rangers fans, and if so, he will also understand how much denying Celtic is important to them too.

Mikey Moore‘s loan spell is nearing its end and he is shining brightly as it does so. Starring in a clash at Celtic would be almost the cherry on top for the attacker and he is capable of doing it.

Match Prediction

Celtic vs Rangers games are always hugely important affairs and this is no different.

Rohl will be under pressure to at least deliver, after back to back defeats, saw his side virtually out of the title race. O’Neill, on the other hand, has achieved all there is to achieve and might view the title as a nice way to exit management for the second time.

Humans as a species are hardwired to have negative emotions register stronger and have them persist longer than their positive counterparts and the desperation of the Rangers side is likely to be exponentially higher.

If Celtic romp to another title, the Gers fans are unlikely to let their side live it down, while the Bhoys fans have their attention scattered. The psychological asymmetry is likely to force a reaction from the Rangers squad, especially now that the equations are a lot clearer and could be enough for them to walk away from Celtic Park, but with a result that is likely to help neither their, nor their rival’s cause.

Inside Futbol Score Prediction

Celtic 1-1 Rangers

Where To Watch?

Celtic vs Rangers will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Ultra HDR with a kick-off at 12:00 UK time.