Celtic vs Rangers - prediction, team news, lineups

The last Old Firm derby of the 2025-26 play takes centre signifier connected Sunday afternoon, erstwhile Celtic invited Rangers to Celtic Park. 

The hosts are 2nd successful the standings and 3 points down the Scottish Premiership leaders, portion the visitors are 3rd and 7 points adrift from apical spot.

Match preview

Celtic's hopes of securing a 5th consecutive Scottish Premiership rubric bent successful the balance, arsenic the Bhoys presently way leaders Hearts by 3 points with conscionable 3 matches near to play.

Martin O'Neill, who has taken complaint during 2 abstracted spells this term, has done a fantastic occupation of turning the club's fortunes astir aft Wilfried Nancy's disastrous tenure, signaling 11 wins, 2 draws and lone 2 defeats successful 15 league games, portion besides starring the Bhoys to the Scottish FA Cup final.

Regardless of their awesome run, Celtic stay 3 points down Hearts heading into the last 3 games, which includes a important clash against the league leaders connected the past time of the season.

Celtic volition beryllium hopeless to enactment wrong 3 points, oregon perchance summation ground, connected Hearts heading into that last-day encounter, meaning victories against Rangers and Motherwell volition beryllium of paramount value to the Bhoys.

O'Neill's men volition gully assurance from their ongoing five-game winning streak crossed each competitions, but Celtic bash person an underwhelming grounds against their metropolis rivals successful caller history. 

Rangers, who volition person added information to dent Celtic's rubric hopes, are unbeaten successful their past six Scottish Premiership clashes with their Old Firm rivals, featuring 3 wins and 3 draws successful that clip - including back-to-back triumphs astatine Celtic Park. 

The Gers volition besides beryllium aiming to assertion each 3 points successful an effort to support their slim hopes of winning the rubric alive, arsenic 2 consecutive defeats coming into this brushwood person seen Rangers gaffe to 7 points down the leaders. 

Danny Rohl's squad were undefeated successful 16 Scottish Premiership fixtures going into the post-split campaign, but disappointing losses to Motherwell (3-2) and Hearts (2-1) person rapidly undone each their hard enactment to get backmost successful the rubric race.

Rangers are, therefore, apt to necessitate maximum points and for Hearts and Celtic to driblet respective points successful the last weeks if they are to triumph the title, portion decision connected Sunday would consign the Gers to their archetypal third-placed decorativeness since 2018. 

Celtic Scottish Premiership form:

W L W W W W 

Celtic signifier (all competitions):

L W W W W W

Rangers Scottish Premiership form:

W W W W L L

Team News

Celtic are contending with galore wounded issues, including Colby Donovan, Julian Araujo, Kasper Schmeichel, Callum Osmand, Adam Montgomery, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota.

Following their 5th consecutive triumph against Hibernian past weekend, O'Neill whitethorn opt to sanction an unchanged starting 11 for this match, including the in-form Daizen Maeda - who has scored 4 goals successful his past 3 games.

Meanwhile, Rangers are lone anticipated to beryllium without Bailey Rice, who remains sidelined with a musculus injury. 

Rohl's broadside person present mislaid each of their past 2 games, and the German manager whitethorn determine to marque respective changes successful hunt of a much-needed effect connected Sunday. 

Consequently, the likes of Djeidi Gassama, Thelo Aasgaard and Tuur Rommens could travel into the starting 11.

Celtic imaginable starting lineup:

Sinisalo; Johnston, Trusty, Scales, Tierney; McGregor, Engels; Hyun-Jun, Nygren, Tounekti; Maeda

Rangers imaginable starting lineup:

Butland; Tavernier, Djiga, Fernandez, Rommens; Chukwuani, Raskin; Gassama, Diomande, Aasgaard; Chermiti

We say: Celtic 2-1 Rangers

Although Rangers person a formidable caller grounds successful Old Firm clashes successful the Scottish Premiership, the Gers person mislaid each of their past 2 games, portion Celtic are enjoying a superb tally of results. 

Combined with the added vantage of a Celtic Park crowd, arsenic good arsenic the Bhoys desperately warring for 3 points to stay successful the rubric race, we judge Celtic volition yet beryllium excessively beardown instrumentality each 3 points.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.