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

Fixture: Celtic vs Rangers Competition: Scottish Premiership Kick-off: 3rd January, 12:30 UK time

Celtic and Rangers will meet again on Saturday, in the first fixture of the New Year, with the clash promising to not only ruin one set of fans’ weekends but also possibly their entire year. Another chapter will be written over the weekend between these clubs, seemingly in entrainment and locked in step, exchanging titles since 1985, with ramifications not just for each other, but also for Hearts.

Two sides on 55 domestic titles each, and with an evenly matched head-to-head record of 171 wins to 171, will once again go into a fixture as equals, but in somewhat different circumstances.

It is the first time since the 1993/94 season that neither side occupy the top spot in the Scottish Premiership going into a festive derby clash, with Hearts taking Aberdeen’s place this time around. When the two sides played each other in August, they recorded only nine shots and a xG of 0.34, the lowest xG and the second-lowest shot tally, on record in a Scottish Premiership match, since Opta began collecting this data. Rather than a slow warm-up to the season, with either side shaking off cobwebs, it has proven to be a marker for their performances up to date.

Celtic would have certainly earned the moniker of being the worst defending champions in Europe, if not for the struggles of a certain club plying its trade south of the border. They, at least until a month ago, had the consolation that their fierce rivals were worse off than them. It no longer is the case, as a Rangers win on Saturday will draw them level on points with the Bhoys, something that seemed unimaginable when, after winning only five of 17 games under Russell Martin, the Gers trailed Celtic by eight points.

The Bhoys might have shot themselves in the foot by not sticking with the talismanic Martin O’Neill, who would ‘happily have stayed on’ as manager, for a while longer. Under O’Neill, Celtic picked up five Scottish Premiership wins, a semi-final defeat of Rangers in the Scottish League Cup and an impressive Europa League victory at Feyenoord.

O’Neill, fresh from his stint in the dugout and returning to media duties, criticised Wolves defender Matt Doherty, calling him a ‘brilliant talker, a really good talker,’ and in doing so, showed that he not only has the gumption for managing at the top level, but might actually still relish setting errant characters straight. That might have been exactly what Celtic need, with a former top flight star claiming that O’Neill was ‘exceptional’ with Reo Hatate, being but one example of his stellar man management.

Wilfried Nancy, with more than a few echoes of Martin’s tenure with the Gers, began with four consecutive defeats, something alien to Celtic since 1978, after replacing O’Neill in December. One journalist has already declared that Nancy should not be trusted with money in January, with calls for his sacking already growing a month into the job, while Celtic legend Pat Bonner defended Nancy, claiming that he can only be judged after he is given time with new players.

Under Nancy, Celtic have already lost to St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup final, and to Roma in the Europa League, leaving them 24th and leaving them with all to do if they are to progress. Julian Araujo has joined the club on loan from Bournemouth until the end of this season.

Rangers have largely stabilised under Danny Rohl, churning out points without necessarily getting the faithful off their seats. The Gers have picked up the most points of any team in the Scottish Premiership since his appointment, suffering a single defeat to Hearts. Hearts, incidentally, are the only side to beat Rangers domestically this season, doing so twice. In the league, Rangers edge the head-to-head record with 129 wins to 118, with Rohl having a great chance to stretch the lead at Parkhead.

Rohl is expected to strengthen in January, with former top flight attacker Tam McManus identifying defence as a weak spot, in preparation for a tilt at the title. Rohl has promised to approach the window on ‘the front foot’, with McManus also declaring that Rangers do not have a ‘banker’ in the squad

The Gers can also drop any pretence of European commitments, as they are all but mathematically out of the Europa League, and fully concentrate on domestic competitions. Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton is of the opinion that the team amongst Rangers, Celtic and Hearts that do the best January business will win the Scottish Premiership and Rohl will want to claw back the points differential while the window is still young, with form on their side.

Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha, and Nasser Djiga for either club have been called up for the Africa Cup of Nations and will be unavailable.

Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Jota, Kelechi Iheanacho and Marcelo Saracchi are long-term absentees for Celtic, while Oliver Antman, Nedim Bajram and Derek Cornelius remain injured for Rangers.

Recent Form (league)

Celtic: LWWLL Rangers: WWLWW

Key Men

Celtic

Kasper Schmeichel has not been in great form this season and made another mistake in the loss to Motherwell. Schmeichel will want to match his opposite number Butland, at the very least, with more than pride at stake.

Callum McGregor, was claimed to be one of four players looking lost under Nancy by Celtic legend Stiliyan Petrov. The captain, for his sake and the sake of his manager, will want to put in a strong shift against sworn rivals.

Wilfried Nancy will know that the derby fixture at home can prove to be pivotal for his tenure. Win, and all will be forgiven, while his abject start might also be quickly forgotten.

Rangers

James Tavernier, with his experience, will be key in the fixture, as a former Rangers legend bemoaned the lack of a Scottish identity in the Gers squad.

Jack Butland, the man of the match against St Mirren, will want to put in another strong showing.

Emmanuel Fernandez can be a threat in the opposition box, after crediting set-piece coach Scott Fry for his goal against St Mirren. Fernandez will want to do his primary job well, with any attacking output, a bonus.

Match Prediction

Rangers are the form team going into the clash, but fans can safely throw the form book out for a derby fixture.

Being the first league derby for Nancy and Rohl, and only the fifth time both sides have had a manager leading their first league derby at the same time, after 1978, 1991, 1998 and 2016 when Brendan Rodgers and Mark Warburton were the respective managers, both men will know they have a chance to endear themselves to their supporters.

Both of the last two derbies in the league have been drawn, and Celtic and Rangers have not played out three successive league draws since October 2002.

With two new managers, fans can expect a nervy and cagey game, and another draw to match the record from 2002.

A draw might not suit either party, but if it benefits Hearts, and edges them closer to becoming the first side since Aberdeen in the 1984/85 season to break the Celtic-Rangers duopoly, Scottish football might be the ultimate beneficiary in the years to come.

Where To Watch?

Celtic vs Rangers in the Scottish Premiership will be live on Sky Sports Main Event and Football channels from 11.30 in the UK for a 12:30 kick-off.