Rangers (Getty Images)
It’s time for the first Old Firm derby of the season as Scottish football returns to action with a bang after the international break. Both Celtic and Rangers will be looking to continue their unbeaten start to the campaign when Steven Gerrard’s side play host to their arch-rivals at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon.
The Gers had the last laugh in the previous meeting between the two powerhouses back in December 2019. A victory on Saturday would send the hosts four points clear of Neil Lennon’s side at the top of the standings.
Celtic beat St. Johnstone 2-0 in their last league fixture before the break while Rangers also triumphed over Ross County by a similar scoreline.
Gerrard has a few injury problems to contend with heading into the crunch fixture against Celtic on Saturday. Allan McGregor didn’t feature in the 2-0 win over Ross County before the break and might not be fully fit to start this weekend while Kemar Roofe (calf) and Joe Aribo (ankle) are both unlikely to play a part.
Filip Helander was sent home from Sweden’s international set-up due to a minor injury but is expected to be available for the game. Borna Barisic is also back to full fitness, having played the full 90 minutes of Croatia’s 2-1 defeat against France. Nikola Katic remains a long-term absentee with a cruciate ligament injury.
The former Sunderland keeper has inspired a lot of confidence with his performances and Gerrard shouldn’t hesitate to hand him a start on Saturday if McGregor doesn’t recover in time.
The Gers skipper has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign and remains an undisputed starter at right-back.
The 27-year-old has played every minute of Rangers’ league campaign so far and he will be tasked with keeping a potent Celtic attack at bay this weekend.
The Nigerian international has made a positive impact following his move to Rangers this summer. The fans will be expecting him to continue his good form.
The left-back’s return to fitness is a massive boost for Rangers, considering his ability to contribute equally to both defence and attack.
The Finnish international has started 7 out of Rangers’ 10 league fixtures so far and will surely have a big part to play on Saturday.
The vastly-experienced Northern Irishman remains a key cog in Rangers’ midfield despite his advancing years.
The Canadian international scored in the 2-1 win over Galatasaray in the Europa League playoff tie and the fans will be expecting him to deliver the goods once again.
The Romanian playmaker has been in fine form this season. Rangers will once again be relying heavily on him to spark creativity in the final third on Saturday.
The former Liverpool man has bagged 4 goals and an assist in 10 league fixtures for the Gers so far this season and a lot will depend on how he goes about things.
The Colombian talisman remains an indispensable cog in Rangers’ attack and the fans will be expecting him to fire on all cylinders to propel Gerrard’s side to a victory in the Old Firm derby.