Key events

Derek McInnes also spoke to Sky: “Just because you win the game doesn’t mean it always says you’ve got the tactics right and, equally, when you lose a game, it doesn’t mean it says you’ve got them wrong.

“I think sometimes tactics can get a wee bit overplayed. I do think you normally win games during the individual moments and the performance of players being really high and really strong. We look to do something similar in terms of our approach. We want to make sure the aggression’s there, the confidence is there to play.

“The energy that we displayed last week, these are all the things that are more important than tactics. Hopefully the players go into the game and onto the pitch with that message loud and clear that a big performance is required. You don’t win at Celtic Park unless everybody plays well. We’ve got to try and bring something similar and look for those improvements again.”

Martin O"Neill had the following to say to Sky ahead of the game: “We’re far from rock bottom. We’re still in the lead and if we could win this, we can extend the lead and if we don’t, even by the international break, we’re still going to be in front.

“We’re going to try and put that right if we can. But I know the last time we had an international break was in March time and we played very poorly against Dundee United. So that was, if you can call it a wake-up call or a moment of quiet reflection or whatever the case may be. We turned it round. The players are capable of turning it round.

“It’s a big game, whether it’s played in September or March time. We need to be up for the game. Do we need to win the game? It would be nice to win it, it wouldn’t be great if we lost. That would be three on the trot. Psychologically, it would be a blow. But we need to be up for it.”

Derek McInnes has picked the same starting team from last week’s win at Ibrox. Celtic look to have gone three at the back – the formation that O’Neill had success with first time around at Celtic. Auston Trusty lines up alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales. Kasper Hogh, Haissem Hassan, Oliver Sorensen, and James Forrest are the four players dropped.

Celtic: Sinisalo, Trusty, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Donovan, Baur, McGregor, Tierney, McCowan, Duran, Nygren. Subs: Johnstone, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Hogh, Tounekti, Hassan, Mheuka, Murray, Forrest, Ralston.

Rangers: Pandur, Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice, Kim, Neil, Raskin, Gassama, Naderi, Kelsy. Subs: Kelly, McCrorie, Godfrey, Dragojevic, Devlin, Chukwuani, Curtis, Bouanani, Miovski.

Referee: John Beaton (Scotland)

Last time out:

Against a backdrop of bouncing techno from the tannoy, Rangers fans celebrated three memorable goals in a thumping League Cup win. A brace for the captain, Dan Neil, bookended Kevin Kelsy’s second‑half finish to put Martin O’Neill’s side down with relative ease. It also showcased a nascent identity for McInnes’s side, one defined by unbending physical commitment and lots and lots of sprinting. The quality of the football may have been patchy, but the commitment was enough to get the 51,212 home fans at the top of their voices.

Rangers lay down Old Firm marker to send Celtic packing from Scottish League Cup
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Another week, another Old Firm/Glasgow derby match. Though the next one isn’t scheduled until 3 January. Rangers won last week, and should they win at Parkhead it could blow open the title race. Hearts divide both teams at the moment in the table, and a bad week for Celtic would be completed by losing to their eternal rivals. Derek McInnes was bought time and credibility by beating Celtic in the League Cup while Martin O’Neill was in cantankerous form before and after the Europa League defeat to Ferencvaros. So, plenty to play for, though there’s always plenty to play for.

Kick-off high noon, Glasgow time. Join me.

Pos Team P GD Pts
1 Celtic 6 11 18
2 Hearts 7 6 13
3 Rangers 6 3 13
4 Dundee 7 2 10
5 St Mirren 7 -1 10
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