Celtic manager Neil Lennon will be looking to use the fact that his side have had the week off, while Rangers were forced to play a Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon on Thursday evening. Lennon spoke about this at his pre-match press conference, saying: “We’ve had a good week's training and they all seem to be in good nick, so I think they're all just looking forward to the game now.”
When asked about the pressure that his side will feel when they enter Celtic Park on Sunday lunchtime, Lennon responded: “You try to take it as another week, you have to put up with the hype that goes with it and some time the games get overhyped, for me, at the end of the day there’s three points riding on it, but psychologically there’s more than that.”
Finally, he was questioned on whether or not seven Old Firm games, which both sides face this season, was too much - to which the former Celtic skipper responded: “It’s probably too many, but that’s just the way the fixtures have been thrown up, with four league fixtures, an early cup tie and a cup final.”
Rangers looking to complete Parkhead double
Rangers gaffer Walter Smith will be hoping his side can achieve something that they haven’t done in 14 years and claim two Old Firm victories at Celtic Park in a single season. After having triumphed over their nearest rivals in late October, Smith will be looking to claw back the five-point deficit in the league.
When asked at his pre-match press conference if he was playing not to lose, Smith claimed: “I think the two games left, we go into the games not wanting to lose, but we will try to win as we did earlier in the season, but it’s obviously an important game in terms of the championship, overall. We’ve already lost three games in the league this season and we don’t want to be losing many more.”
He was also asked about the tiredness of his players after their Europa League game with Sporting Lisbon, to which Smith responded: “That happens, we’ve had Champions League games all season and we’ve had to put up with that, while Celtic have had the advantage of not having to put up with any European matches, if it is an advantage, not to have that certainly allows them a freshness that we’ll be lacking, but I think our own group have shown a determination and a will to win and I hope that’ll counteract any tiredness they’ll feel.”
TEAM NEWS
Celtic
Celtic manager Neil Lennon will welcome back central defender Thomas Rogne and midfielder James Forrest as the pair have recovered from injuries. But full-back Cha Du-Ri has sustained an ankle injury which means he’ll join long-term injury victims Shaun Maloney and Andres Hinkel on the sidelines.
The Parkhead side will also be without Marc Crosas, who has left the club to join Russian side Volga Nizhny Novgorod after the 23-year-old Spaniard failed to cement a place in Neil Lennon’s team, having only played three times this season.
Strike duo Gary Hooper and Anthony Stokes, with 23 goals between them this season, will be looking to continue their scoring feats against their fiercest rivals and extend the Parkhead side’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League, which currently stands at five points.
Possible starting XI: Forster; Wilson, Majstorovic, Mulgrew, Izaguirre; Brown, Kayal, Ledley, Commons; Stokes, Hooper
Rangers
Rangers will welcome back midfielder Steven Naismith, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, while Nikica Jelavic comes back into the side after having to miss out on the Europa League tie against Sporting Lisbon due to being cup-tied.
The Ibrox side will cross the city without Jamie Ness after the young midfielder picked up a groin injury before the Gers' midweek Europa League tie. He joins defender Kirk Broadfoot, who has been unavailable for Walter Smith’s side with a long-term injury problem.
The SPL champions will have to rely on Naismith and Jelavic to get the goals, after having sold top goalscorer Kenny Miller to Turkish side Bursaspor during the January transfer window.
Possible starting XI: McGregor; Whittaker, Bougherra, Weir, Papac; Weiss, Davis, Edu, Naismith; Diouf, Jelavic
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Celtic
Scott Brown - The Celtic skipper helped his side to a Scottish Cup replay, with his second half goal which helped the ten men Hoops survive against their Glasgow rivals. The Scotland midfielder will now look to help maintain his side’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League.
Rangers
Nikica Jelavic - The Croatian is now the main striker for the Ibrox side since the departure of top goalscorer Kenny Miller. With fellow striker Kyle Lafferty misfiring in front of goal and David Healy lacking match sharpness, it will fall to Jelavic to lead the way.
Prediction
Even with ten men for the entire second half of the Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox, Celtic looked the more dominant team and were rewarded with a replay. And manager Neil Lennon understands the importance of a victory that would see them go eight points clear of Rangers.
Celtic 2-1 Rangers
