Celtic and Rangers are set to lock horns in the semi-finals of the Premier Sports Cup this afternoon, with a coveted place in December's final on the line. The Glasgow giants will battle it out for the right to face either St Mirren or Motherwell, who contest the other semi-final.
Rangers boss Danny Rohl will take charge of his first Old Firm derby, while Celtic will be led by interim duo Martin O'Neill and Shaun Maloney as the club continues its unexpected search for a permanent replacement for Brendan Rodgers.
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Returning to the Celtic dugout and football management after a prolonged spell in TV punditry, O'Neill marked his comeback in style with a commanding 4-0 victory over Falkirk at Parkhead. His return followed Rodgers' abrupt resignation after a reported fallout with the board, leaving Celtic playing catch-up to Hearts in the Premiership title chase.
Now fourth in the Premiership table (14 points off Hearts' title pace), the Gers booked their semi-final berth with victories over Alloa Athletic and Hibernian earlier in the competition, while Celtic progressed after seeing off Falkirk and Partick Thistle.
AllSportsPeople brings you our betting preview, complete with the latest tips, predictions and odds as arch rivals Celtic and Rangers lock horns.
Celtic faces Rangers
Celtic head to Hampden on the back of a commanding 4-0 victory over Falkirk, a result that saw Martin O'Neill begin his interim stint in charge with a statement win.
Rangers, meanwhile, also arrive in good spirits after former Sheffield Wednesday boss Rohl guided them to consecutive league victories for the first time this season with a morale-boosting triumph over Hibs.
Both sides have endured their fair share of turbulence this campaign, and with new faces calling the shots in each dugout, this derby feels wide open. It's anyone's guess which version of either team will show up, with unpredictability the only constant.
In the end, it might just come down to who's got more positive momentum because this one has all the makings of a nail-biter.
Celtic v Rangers clash
- The Light Blues have enjoyed the upper hand against Celtic in recent encounters, a far cry from the rough patch that saw them go seven matches without a win between September 2023 and December 2024.
- Since that League Cup final heartbreak at Hampden, Rangers have steadied the ship, picking up two victories and a pair of draws against their fiercest rivals.
- Their most recent clash, however, was anything but thrilling, a lifeless goalless draw that nearly sent Govan to sleep. Far more memorable was Hamza Igamane's dramatic late strike last season, the now-Lille forward rifling home to seal a pulsating 3-2 triumph at Celtic Park.
- In the most recent League Cup game between the two, Celtic won on penalties after an enthralling 3-3 draw.
- Overall, there have been 447 clashes between the two teams with Celtic winning 170 of those and Rangers coming out on top on 171 occasions.
Celtic faces Rangers
Celtic — Last 5 Matches (All Competitions)
- Celtic 4-0 Falkirk (Scottish Premiership)
- Hearts 3-1 Celtic (Scottish Premiership)
- Celtic 2-1 Strum Graz (UEFA Europa League)
- Dundee 2-0 Celtic (Scottish Premiership)
- Celtic 3-2 Motherwell (Scottish Premiership)
Rangers – Last 5 Matches (All Competitions)
- Hibernian 0-1 Rangers (Scottish Premiership)
- Rangers 3-1 Kilmarnock (Scottish Premiership)
- Brann 3-0 Rangers (UEFA Europa League)
- Rangers 2-2 Dundee United (Scottish Premiership)
- Falkirk 1-1 Rangers (Premier League)
Celtic vs. Rangers Score Prediction
This latest chapter of the Old Firm rivalry this weekend feels tricky to call.
Both clubs find themselves under fresh leadership, though uncertainty still lingers at Celtic, with Martin O'Neill stepping in as a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution.
Over at Ibrox, Danny Rohl has steadied what once looked like a sinking ship, restoring a sense of structure and belief to a Rangers side that was in disarray following the Russell Martin fiasco.
That stability, and the fact that Rohl has had time to implement his ideas, could give the Gers a crucial edge against a Celtic team still finding its feet under interim guidance.
Of course, O'Neill's experience and motivational touch shouldn't be underestimated, and he could yet coax a big performance from the Hoops. But if Rangers maintain their recent momentum, there’s every chance they'll punch their ticket to the League Cup final.
Prediction: Celtic 1-2 Rangers (12/1 with Bet365)
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Celtic vs. Rangers Team News
Celtic Team News
- Celtic are dealing with a few headaches on the injury front. Alistair Johnston's hamstring issue flared up again during the clash with Sturm Graz, ruling him out of contention.
- Long-term absentees Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota remain sidelined, the former recovering from Achilles surgery and the latter still rehabilitating from a serious ACL injury.
- There is, however, some good news for the Hoops. Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho are both in line to return, while Kieran Tierney could also be passed fit in time for the Hampden showdown.
Rangers Team News
- Rangers boss Rohl is set to experience his first taste of Old Firm football, and he'll be determined to avoid a derby defeat in what would be a harsh early blow to his Rangers tenure, especially with a cup final spot on the line.
- The German tactician has made a smooth start at Ibrox, implementing a back-three system that's brought both balance and belief to his side, and he's expected to stick with the same setup here.
- The Light Blues head into the clash with a near full-strength squad, with only Dujon Sterling and Rabbi Matondo unavailable. Danilo's early exit against Hibernian was purely precautionary, according to Rohl, meaning he should be ready to lead the line here.
Celtic vs. Rangers Predicted Lineups
This is how we think these two sides will lineup this afternoon at Hampden.
Celtic predicted lineup to play Rangers
(4-3-3) Schmeichel (GK) — Donovan, Trusty, Scales, Tierney — Engels, McGregor, Nygren — Hatate, Kenny, Tounekti
Rangers predicted lineup to play Celtic
(3-4-3) Butland (GK) — Djiga, Souttar, Cornelius — Tavernier, Diomande, Raskin, Meghoma — Gassama, Danilo, Moore
Celtic vs. Rangers Betting Odds
- Celtic to Win: 76/100 with 10Bet
- Rangers to Win: 11/4 with SpreadEx
- Draw: 14/5 with Bet365
Bet Builder Tips: Celtic vs. Rangers
Our bet builder for Celtic vs. Rangers is for both teams to score and Gers to win, which comes to overall odds of 5/1 with Sky Bet.
Create your own bet builder and compare top bookmaker odds with the tool provided.
How to watch Celtic vs. Rangers: Live stream, TV channel
Here's all the key information on how to watch Celtic vs. Rangers this weekend.
- Date: Sunday, November 2
- Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow
- Time: 2:00 p.m. GMT
- TV/Stream: Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports Player