🔗 Share this article

Live Feed

The teams emerge to a thunderous reception, Hampden split down the middle with blue and green sections. For the opportunity to meet St Mirren here in December … here we go.

Additional Fixtures

Additional games: John Brewin provides live updates for West Ham v Newcastle in England's top flight; Yara El-Shaboury brings the newest developments from the early kick-offs in the Women's Super League.

Regarding our coverage, we're only five minutes away before the start at Hampden!

Referee Information

Nick Walsh is the man in the middle today. He also refereed last year's Scottish Cup final involving Celtic and Rangers and a continental game in the last term where he showed four dismissals and 12 yellows. Don't cross him.

Dugout Views

The Rangers manager: While this is his first Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has stated clearly this week that he's familiar with participating in other significant derbies as a coach, with Bayern Munich and Sheffield Wednesday.

I recall when Hansi Flick took over, our subsequent fixture was versus Dortmund at home. We won 4-0. It always provides a lift when you triumph in such matches. Furthermore, in England's second tier during the Steel City derby, I was involved in that as well. I understand the significance for the fans. This transcends ordinary football.

The German manager has also been lauding 73-year-old Martin O'Neill's longevity.

I hold great admiration for such a coaching career. I consider it consistently remarkable in this profession when you work so long in this field and achieve success.

I'm merely commencing my professional journey. I have a lot of work to do to come to this point but the good thing is we commence evenly matched, separate eras and we'll observe what we can demonstrate via our selections in this encounter.

I am very excited. I've gained some experience though I anticipate an enormous event on Sunday. To participate in such a match, it's all or nothing. Success secures a final place, you lose, you're out. I feel all elements converge for an outstanding match.

Opposition Manager

Martin O'Neill: The stand-in manager has been reflecting this week regarding his initial encounter with Rangers two and a half decades past, the memorable 6-2 victory.

Certainly, matching that achievement may prove quite arduous, netting six times against that side. I'd settle for a scrappy single-goal triumph if we managed to secure it. Various individuals tell me and say to me: 'That was a great game', and they weren't even born. They tell me their grandfathers and fathers discussed it frequently. It transformed into a crucial game for us, not merely in that term, but likely for future progress.

The anxiety for approximately three days prior to the match, and subsequently if you achieved victory, a great relief. And I feel that's precisely the great Walter Smith often mentioned too, that comfort surpassed other feelings. Yet these represented superb matches genuinely. It continues to be a superb rivalry.

This represents an important match for us. Honestly, don't conceal that fact. It's a semi-final encounter, it's an important game for our side. Each encounter between these rivals constitutes a significant occasion, though especially considering the circumstances of the past few days, if not weeks, absolutely.

Dugout History

Two new managers leading their teams today but there's a big gap in Old Firm experience between them. Danny Röhl faces his debut as the Rangers boss while Martin O'Neill gets ready to manage of his 28th.

Today's result might significantly influence on how long O'Neill's return as stand-in Celtic coach lasts, as Ewan Murray has considered.

They could potentially invest five million pounds in compensation to persuade Kieran McKenna from Ipswich Town. They could take a more significant chance on Robbie Keane. The title holders could decide to provide Nicky Hayen from Club Brugge a first taste of British football. These constitute chances to varying degrees. Even more than O'Neill? This is arguable.

First XIs

Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Sarrachi; McGregor, Engels, Nygren; Maeda, Kenny, Tounekti.

Reserves: Sinisalo, Balikwisha, Yang, Osmand, McCowan, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Tierney.

Marcelo Sarrachi begins instead of Kieran Tierney at left-back. James Forrest is additionally excluded from the starting lineup that beat Falkirk in midweek.

Rangers (3-4-3): Butland; Djiga, Souttar, Cornelius; Tavernier, Diomande, Raskin, Meghoma; Aasgaard, Chermiti, Danilo.

Subs: Kelly, Aarons, Fernández, Rothwell, Antman, Moore, Gassama, Curtis, Miovski.

James Tavernier gets the nod ahead of Max Aarons on the right, including Mohamed Diomande for the suspended Connor Barron in the middle with Thelo Aasgaard favored to Mikey Moore in forward roles.

Preamble

Hello and welcome to this Old Firm clash. It's got to be better {than last time|compared to the previous meeting|versus