Celtic and Rangers will lock horns in the Premier Sports Cup semi-finals at Hampden Park on Sunday, with both sides looking to get their campaigns back on track.
The Bhoys’ underwhelming results this season led to the sudden departure of Brendan Rodgers, which prompted an extraordinary statement from major shareholder Dermot Desmond. Martin O’Neill has replaced Rodgers in the dugout on an interim basis while they search for a permanent successor.
The Gers have been languishing even more than their neighbours, leading to Russell Martin’s sacking last month. Danny Rohl is looking to reach a final in just his third match in charge.
Celtic vs Rangers – Old Firm Derby preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 2nd November
- Kick-off: 2pm BST
- Venue: Hampden Park
- Referee: Nick Walsh
- VAR: Steven McLean
- Last meeting: Rangers 0-0 Celtic, Scottish Premiership, 31st August 2025
Celtic team news
Celtic are dealing with considerable injury concerns ahead of the Old Firm derby. Cameron Carter-Vickers remains sidelined with an Achilles injury that is expected to keep him out for between three and five months, while Jota continues his rehabilitation from an ACL injury sustained in May and is targeting a return to action in 2026.
Alistair Johnston suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury in last week’s win over Sturm Graz and will not be ready to return against Rangers. However, there is positive news regarding key attacking personnel, with Daizen Maeda expected to lead the line after coming off the bench for the final 25 minutes in Celtic’s 4-0 victory over Falkirk in midweek.
Kelechi Iheanacho, who missed the Falkirk match with a minor hamstring issue, is “doing fine” and will be assessed ahead of kick-off on Sunday, while Kieran Tierney should return to training on Saturday and will hopefully be available for selection after feeling his groin in training.
In attack, James Forrest will continue on the right wing, with Sebastian Tounekti guaranteed to start on the opposite flank, while Johnny Kenny dropped out after his brace against Falkirk. Benjamin Nygren featured in midfield during the Falkirk win and played a key role in a more direct attacking approach.
Read – Celtic chief launches scathing attack on departing Brendan Rodgers
Rangers team news
Rangers must contend with the absences of central defender Dujon Sterling, who has returned to training after his Achilles injury sustained in the Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Bilbao in April but will not be available for this fixture, and forward Rabbi Matondo, who is still recovering from a long-term knee injury with no current timeframe on his potential return to first-team action.
Critically, midfielder Connor Barron will miss the semi-final after picking up two yellow cards across the previous two rounds of the competition. However, Danilo has been declared fit following his precautionary withdrawal against Hibernian, according to manager Danny Rohl.
Under Rohl’s guidance, Mikey Moore has been given greater central freedom, moving inside from the flank and using his excellent range of passing, something which rarely happened under Russell Martin.
Form
Celtic
O’Neill’s interim appointment has yielded immediate results, with Celtic securing a commanding 4-0 home victory over Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday.
Johnny Kenny’s first-half double, followed by goals from Benjamin Nygren and Sebastian Tounekti, earned the comfortable victory, providing a much-needed confidence boost following consecutive league defeats in Rodgers’ final two matches in charge.
Rangers
Rohl’s Rangers have responded impressively to their new manager’s arrival, winning both of their league matches since his appointment on a fortnight ago.
The Light Blues secured a 3-1 home victory over Kilmarnock in their first league outing under Rohl, which the manager described as their most impressive display of the season, which they followed up with a 1-0 away win over Hibernian midweek, with Danilo netting the winner in the fifth minute.
When Rohl took charge, Rangers were in eighth place with nine points, but the new head coach has transformed the side’s fortunes, moving them to third place with 15 points. The Germans says that his squad now possess “big belief” after their recent performances, noting that they are experiencing a significant change in momentum at Ibrox.
Read – Next Celtic manager: Five potential Brendan Rodgers replacements
Predicted lineups
Celtic: Schmeichel; Donovan, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; Engels, McGregor; Forrest, Nygren, Tounekti; Kenny
Rangers: Butland; Djiga, Souttar, Cornelius; Tavernier, Diomande, Raskin, Meghoma; Moore, Danilo; Miovski
How to watch Celtic vs Rangers?
In the UK, the Premier Sports Cup semi-final match can be watched live on Premier Sports 1.
Read Also – Amorim makes Man Utd transfer admission ahead of January
See More – Slot sees no reason to change Liverpool style
Follow the Football Faithful on Social Media:
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube
