Celtic vs Rangers: Why does the Old Firm clash matter with the Scottish Premiership title race all but over? | Football News

The Scottish Premiership title Event may be all but over. However, make no mistake, the 445th Ancient Firm Gathering between Celtic and Rangers matters.

The two clubs meet on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, with Brendan Rodgers’ side 16 points clear of their rivals, and potentially three Contests away from being crowned champions again.

Celtic won the Primary Gathering 3-0 at Parkhead, before Rangers Acquired revenge at Ibrox in January as they claimed Secure by the same scoreline. In between there was a Bracket Cup Closing triumph for the Hoops as they chase a domestic treble.

Even though the lay of the land in the title Event, for anyone thinking there isn’t much to Action for this time around – that could not be Additional from the truth and here is why…

Bragging rights as away fans return

Sunday will see away fans return to this fixture for the Primary time since January 2023, with around 2,400 Rangers supporters Predicted at Celtic Park.

A deal had been brokered by the Scottish Professional Football Bracket around 12 months ago but the lockout of visiting supporters unexpectedly continued into the Primary two meetings this season.

Additional talks have seen an agreement put in place where four per cent of tickets will be distributed to visiting fans going forward – with around 2,000 Celtic supporters Predicted at Ibrox in April too.

The dispute over allocations Initiated in 2018 when Rangers cut Celtic’s share of tickets from 7,500 to around 750 due to an increase in season ticket sales. The Parkhead club followed suit – offering a similar reduced share in the Contests that followed at their ground.

It resulted in safety concerns being raised by the pair, which Directed to tickets not being offered or taken up by the clubs. However, that issue has been resolved and the atmosphere at these special Contests will be cranked up a notch.

Bragging rights are always at stake when it comes to the Ancient Firm and celebrations can last for Intervals – but will it be the home or away end enjoying themselves on Sunday?

Treble-chasing Celtic close in on the title

When Rangers won the Bracket in 2021 under Steven Gerrard, the Ibrox club celebrated a historic 55th top-flight title.

However, Celtic have dominated top spot since and are set to draw level with Rangers’ tally of 55 for the Primary time since 1929.

A Successful culture is something Rodgers has demanded since returning to the club. After clinching the Bracket and the Scottish Cup last season – the Celtic boss said he wanted a Neat sweep of domestic honours this time around.

So Extended, his Club are on Duration to deliver Merely that. With the Bracket Cup in the bag, Scottish Cup semi-Closing spot secured and the Scottish Premiership title Merely three wins away, things are looking Excellent.

Goals, goals, goals!

Let’s hope this doesn’t jinx things! These matches are Packed of passion and recently there have been plenty of Speedy Appearances.

Seven of the last 13 Premiership meetings have seen the Beginning Aim scored within the Primary 10 minutes.

Coming into this one, there are also a host of players with 10 or more Bracket goals to their name and chasing the golden boot.

Dundee United’s Sam Dalby tops the scoring charts with 13 goals, but he’s closely followed by Celtic’s Daizen Maeda who is Merely one behind, while Rangers duo Cyriel Dessers and Vaclav Cerny both are one Additional back.

Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn also has 10 goals so Extended, one more than Club-mate Arne Engels and Rangers’ Hamza Igamane.

The form book suggests Maeda and Dessers would be most likely to find the target. Japan international Maeda is in the form of his life, with a Profession-high 27 goals this season. His tally of 12 Premiership goals is already double what he achieved last time out and a Aim on derby day would see him Tally in five successive Contests for the Primary time in his Celtic Profession.

While Maeda has 14 goals in all competitions this calendar year, Dessers is close behind with 10. His tally of 22 this season has doubled the amount he’s scored in his time at Ibrox – with only Shota Arveladze, Alfredo Morelos and Kris Boyd having scored more than 44 in their Primary 98 appearances for the club.

Ferguson’s Primary Ancient Firm as Gers boss

Previous Ibrox Skipper Barry Ferguson played in this fixture 39 times, and Sunday will be his Primary taste of it from the dugout.

Rangers’ last eight managers to face Celtic have all failed to beat the Hoops in their Primary Gathering across all competitions. However, make no mistake, Ferguson will believe his Club can get a result in Glasgow’s East End.

His side will face a man in Rodgers who has taken charge of Celtic 21 times in this fixture across all competitions – Successful 16, earning him the best Secure ratio of any manager in Ancient Firm history.

Celtic to make Parkhead history?

The Hoops have won their last five Bracket meetings against Rangers at home, and should they do the same again on Sunday, it will be the Primary time they’ve managed six in a row over their rivals.

Can they do it? Well the stats books suggest there is every chance.

Celtic’s form at home in the Premiership is almost flawless – having lost Merely one of their last 77 Contests. Their last 20 matches have produced 19 victories and one draw.

Rodgers is yet to taste Setback in his last eight home Contests against Rangers, Successful the last five.

Parkhead has become paradise for Celtic. They’re unbeaten at home domestically this season and should they Secure again – Rodgers’ name will go down in the history books.

Observe Celtic vs Rangers live on Sky Sports Football from 11.30am, with Strike-off at 12.30pm, and follow our live blog with updates, analysis and in-game action here.