Rangers v Celtic – Preview, Lineups, Key Men And Score Prediction
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Fixture: Rangers vs Celtic
Competition: Scottish Cup
Kick-off: 8th March, 13:00 UK Time
Hot on the heels of a Scottish Premiership clash, Rangers welcome Celtic to Ibrox this afternoon in the Scottish Cup.
Rangers’ players will still be hurting following last weekend’s draw against Celtic at Ibrox. They were on course to win the match and take a huge leap in the Scottish Premiership title race, but were pegged back.
Attention, though, now turns towards the cup where they are yet again set to play host to Celtic yet again, in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.
Manager Danny Rohl has stressed the fact that the Gers need to lift silverware this season and will be doing everything to keep the visiting fans quiet today.
He has also been made aware of the fact that the home fans will not accept a slow start against Celtic and the team will need to start like a house on fire.
Celtic though will have been boosted by avoiding defeat last time out and in Martin O’Neill they have a manager who has probably forgotten more than Rohl knows.
O’Neill has been a master of taking what has often been a sub-par Celtic team and somehow dragging results out of them.
The experienced tactician has a number of players to call upon who have been there and done it, none more so than Callum McGregor, who has been lauded for his ability to control a game.
The atmosphere inside Ibrox will definitely be intense, but Celtic are known to thrive under pressure. If they score the first goal and then frustrate Rohl’s team, that could well build up a level of frustration amongst the Rangers fans than then affects the pitch.
An intense and intriguing battle is now expected inside Ibrox with potentially much more than just Scottish Cup progression on the line, as the winners would surely also score a psychological blow in the title race.
With Hearts’ staying power yet to be fully tested, that could be crucial.
Predicted Lineups
Recent Form (league)
Rangers: DDWDW
Celtic: WDLWW
Key Men
Rangers
At home Rangers have an impressive xG of 1.98 per match. The figures are suggestive of the approach the home side are likely to take this afternoon.
They are expected to go for the kill from the very outset and get the fans excited. For that to happen, their two attackers – Ryan Naderi and Youssef Cherimiti – will have significant roles to play.
Chermiti’s record in big matches has been more than impressive. His form has led to former Scotland star Andy Walker commenting that he looks like a really good player in a big game.
Of the nine goals he has to his name, Chermiti has four against Celtic and one more may be on the cards today.
In Naderi, he could have an ideal partner in crime. Standing at six feet four inches, the 22-year-old can be a dominant presence inside the box and can create opportunities for his partner to score.
The more bodies Rangers get into the box, the more opportunities they could create to break the Celtic defence.
Celtic
For the away team, the orchestrator of the game will be their skipper Callum McGregor. He has been a witness to all the ups and downs Celtic have gone through and knows the team like the palm of his hand.
His experience in big cup matches can prove to be critical inside Ibrox, if not with the help of goals and assists, then through channeling of play.
Benjamin Nygren could be the other player creating the difference at the end of the day. From down the wing, he has scored an impressive five goals in the league and four more in the Europa League.
He offers pace down the flanks and can prove to be a nuisance for the Rangers full-backs to defend against.
Once he beats them with speed, he can curl in a shot with his preferred left foot to find the far corner of the net.
Match Prediction
Despite it being a home match for Rangers, they will not go into the game as clear favourites. Celtic have been traditionally good in cup competitions against their bitter Glasgow rivals and this one is not expected to be any different.
There will also be additional pressure on Rangers to deliver as they have already disappointed their fans once in the last week. They cannot afford to do that yet again and that pressure will be weighing on their minds.
Rohl though does look to have Rangers on an upward curve, albeit with some dips, while O’Neill is having to use every bit of his managerial magic to keep Celtic competitive.
Inside Ibrox, Rangers are likely to be able to hold on to whatever advantage they can create and should edge out Celtic.
Inside Futbol Score Prediction
Rangers 2-1 Celtic
Where To Watch?
Rangers vs Celtic will be shown live in the UK on Premier Sports 1 with a kick-off of 13:00 UK time scheduled.
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