Celtic pulled off an incredible victory in Germany in the second leg of the Europa League play-off tie against Stuttgart during the week. Sadly, it wasn't enough for the Hoops to qualify for the Round of 16, but it'll give Martin O'Neill and the squad even more hope going into an important Glasgow derby this weekend.
Our opponents, Rangers, have three wins and two draws in their last five matches. Most recently, they drew 2-2 with Livingston on the road, and it was a match that wasn't without controversy. The Gers believed they were denied a penalty in the dying embers, but footage revealed that the challenge they were claiming for was actually outside of the box. However, the referee failed to give a free kick, and it showed off the standards of refereeing in Scotland once again.
Celtic also had a lot of controversy in their most recent league match, a 2-1 defeat to Hibernian, as they saw Auston Trusty be sent off after VAR ruled "violent conduct". An appeal was submitted, and the defender was given a three-match ban after it was ruled that VAR were correct, meaning he will miss this one. To make things worse, the Celts were robbed of a blatant penalty after a foul on Liam Scales, so with much to talk about in terms of officiating, it will have some people nervous for this upcoming fixture.
In terms of form for the Hoops, coming off the back of a 1-0 win on the road will do wonders for the team. Luke McCowan in particular was confident after the victory in the Europa League, saying that when Celtic are at their best, they can beat anyone in the Scottish Premiership. Massive words, and the team will need to prove that is the case for the derby.
Predicted Celtic XI for Rangers away
After his fine showing last time out, we predict that Viljami Sinisalo could get the nod for this one. He was fantastic against Stuttgart and pulled off some nice saves, and he should be trusted between the sticks at Ibrox.
Liam Scales will start at centre-back, with Dane Murray partnering him. Murray was incredible against Stuttgart and has really made himself undroppable for this one. He could really be an asset, and if he performs, he may even secure his place indefinitely.
At full-back, Julian Aurajo is likely to return. He was left out of the Stuttgart squad as O'Neill decided to rotate, so he will be fully fit for this one. He'll be excited to show off his skills on enemy territory, so let's hope the time off was worthwhile.
On the other side, Kieran Tierney should start. He's a Celtic boy, and he knows exactly what is needed to pull off a victory against our rivals, so it's extremely important to have him in from the off. Marcelo Saracchi should definitely make an appearance off the bench though, with some even suggesting he should be started alongside Tierney elsewhere on the park. Food for thought?
In midfield, Callum McGregor will start. He wasn't rested against Stuttgart (even though some thought he would be), so we'll have to hope it hasn't taken much out of the captain.
Alongside McGregor, Benjamin Nygren and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain deserve to start. Maybe McCowan could be in with a shout too after his heroics in Germany.
Up front, Junior Adamu deserves to start. Some supporters have thought that Tomas Cvancara has lacked impact recently, and Adamu could be a real asset at Ibrox. Alongside him, Yang and Daizen Maeda will likely start. Both players are a pain to deal with for Rangers.
Sinisalo (GK)
Aurajo (RB), Murray (CB), Scales (CB), Tierney (LB)
Nygren (CM), McGregor (CM), Oxlade-Chamberlain (CM)
Yang (RW), Adamu (ST), Maeda (LW)
How could the match go?
With both teams off the back of dropping points domestically, Celtic and Rangers will be eager to get back to winning ways. The hosts have the advantage, but it's going to be crucial that the Hoops pick up three points on the road.
We predict that Celtic could come out of this with a narrow victory.