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The Scottish Premiership may already be out of reach, but Rangers are aiming to claim Old Firm bragging rights as early as 2025.
It has been a difficult season for Philippe Clement’s Gers, with the 2020/21 Scottish champions already 14 points behind the runaway leaders. Celtic. Few have faith in Clement’s ability to restore Rangers to the promised land, and a heavy defeat at Ibrox on Thursday could condemn the Belgian to the chopping block.
While this fixture is one of the fiercest in world football, it has been dominated by hoops in recent years. Rangers Having failed to win any of the previous seven meetings, they enter this derby on sub-par form.
Clement could pick the squad for the visit of Celtic to start the new year.
GK: Jack Butland – There is no doubting Butland’s number-one status in the new year. Butland has started 17 games in the league this season and has more minutes than any Rangers player.
RB: Dujon Sterling – Injuries have pushed Sterling into a starting role of late, also adept in English midfield, with James Tavernier likely to move to right-back with injury.
CB: Leon King – The 20-year-old is in line for a rare start on the big occasion following Tavernier’s injury. King hasn’t played a single league minute this season, but the centre-back’s absence could force Clement’s hand.
CB: Leon Balogun – Balogun missed Sunday’s draw at Motherwell after picking up a knock on Boxing Day, but Clement is badly needed to marshal the Rangers defence.
LB: Ridwan Yilmaz – Yilmaz’s career in Glasgow never got off the ground, and he is a name to watch during the January transfer window amid reports of a possible return to Turkey.
Chief Minister: Mohamed Diomande – A regular for Clement this term, Diamonde is a versatile customer capable of playing a versatile role. The midfielder scored in Rangers’ Scottish League Cup final defeat in December.
Chief Minister: Nicholas Raskin – Clement’s compatriot is a diligent operator who is never far from a booking. Ibrox will turn to Raskin to fire up the crowd once or twice on Thursday.
RM: Vaclav Cerny – The loanee has enjoyed a very productive loan spell so far, scoring seven times in the Scottish Premiership. The trigger-happy Cech joins Cyril Desceres at the top of the Rangers goal contribution charts this term.
AM: Nedim Bajrami – The scorer of Albania’s 23-second strike against Italy at Euro 2024 has not offered much in the way of final third production this term, but is a relentless operator who serves a key tactical role for Clement.
LM: Janice Hagee – Rangers have a number of options in wide areas, especially after Rabbi Matondo returned from injury at the weekend, but we could see Hagi get the nod at left-back to go for Alastair Johnston.
ST: Hamza Ighmane – Igamane is adept out wide, but given the scoring form he has displayed in recent weeks he could get a starting berth up top on Thursday. The 22-year-old scored twice off the bench to salvage a point at Motherwell last time out.
