major events
This is the current league tableIn case Rangers fans need reminding. It is a shame, at least for neutrals, that Aberdeen’s early season form has ended.
The Rangers are badly weakenedBut if they need to make offensive changes, keep Rabbi Matondo and Serial Dezers on the bench. It turned out that Balogun was not even worthy of making the bench.
The Celtics are almost at full strength. Only James Forrest and Odin Holm are out.
Team News!
Rangers: Kelly, Sterling, Propper, Yilmaz, Jephte, Diomande, Raskin, Cerny, Bajrami, Hagi, Igamane.
Sub: Munn, Cortes, Barron, Dezers, Matondo, Dowell, King, Fraser, Danilo.
celtic: Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, Hattett, McGregor, Bernardo, Kuhn, Kygo, Maeda.
Sub: Sinisalo, Trusty, Palma, Idah, Vale, Yang, McCowan, Engels, Ralston.
Ref: Don Robertson
Preface
Happy New Year everyone. If the Old Firm derby is one of the most furious in world football, this 2025 edition means it has had the least fun in some time. Celtic are top on 14 points, are impressing in the Champions League, have a proven manager, have a much better budget than anyone else in Scotland and have conceded just four goals in 18 league matches this season ( Scoring 52).
Rangers are on their worst form of the season, having won only one of their last five fixtures (a 1–0 home win over Dundee) in all competitions. The truth has always been this: Rangers should aim to win every home game, and they are a long way from that this season. There is little time for ‘making projects’ or ‘promising youth of blood’. The pressure is increasing on manager Philippe Clement, perhaps unfairly so given the circumstances.
To make matters worse, Rangers and Clement have an injury crisis, with captain James Tavernier, Tom Lawrence, Nersho Kasanwirzo and John Suter all sidelined. In one of the strangest injuries of the season, goalkeeper Jack Butland spent Tuesday night in hospital after suffering “significant” internal bleeding in his leg. He is stable and recovering at home but will not play today. Centre-back Leon Balogun is doubtful but could be available after the 2-2 draw at St Mirren.
Still, the sun is shining in Glasgow. The match is normally an early afternoon affair, but many of the 50,000 Rangers fans will be well pumped up and ready to cheer their heroes on for an unexpected victory. There may not be much to play for in terms of the league table, but the Old Firm have always been much, much more than that. It’s on!
launch: 3 pm GMT.