Rangers vs Celtic: Old Firm Clash in Scottish League Cup Quarter-Finals
Rangers and Celtic collide at Ibrox on Sunday in the first Old Firm of the season, with a place in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals at stake and pressure already cranking up on both sides of the city.
Last year’s campaign in Scotland crackled from start to finish, a three-way title race that ended with Celtic pulling clear to land a Premiership and Scottish Cup double. They finished as the ones holding the silverware. Rangers finished as the ones asking questions.
A summer of upheaval followed at Ibrox. Derek McInnes arrived from Hearts, charged with resetting a club that expects trophies as standard. His start, though, lurched off course almost immediately with an early European exit that brought scrutiny and noise he did not need.
Since then, Rangers have steadied. Four straight Premiership wins have cooled the temperature and given McInnes some breathing space. This, however, is different. Beat Celtic, book a place in the last four of the League Cup, and the entire mood music around his tenure changes in an instant.
Across the divide, Celtic arrive with their own edge. Martin O’Neill’s side want this trophy back. They lost it in shocking fashion last season, dumped out by St Mirren under Wilfried Nancy, and that sting has not fully faded. The League Cup might not define their season, but it can certainly shape its tone.
There will be one glaring absence on Sunday: Celtic supporters. After the chaos that marred the last Old Firm at Ibrox, in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals, Rangers have barred away fans. The stadium will be full, the noise ferocious, but it will be a one-sided roar.
When and where
Rangers v Celtic kicks off at Ibrox at 12pm BST on Sunday 13 September in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals.
How to watch
The match will be shown live on Premier Sports 1 and via the Premier Sports Player.
Team news
Rangers are badly bruised in attack. Captain Lawrence Shankland is out for months with a hamstring tear, a major blow for McInnes both on the pitch and in the dressing room. Youssef Chermiti is also sidelined with a hamstring injury, stripping Rangers of another recognised striker. New signing Daisuke Yokota joins them on the treatment table with the same problem, while left-back Tuur Rommens is edging closer to fitness but will not make this one.
Celtic, by contrast, have key figures drifting back into contention. Record signing Kasper Hogh returned from injury in the 1-0 win at St Johnstone and will be desperate to feature on derby day. Kieran Tierney is nearing a comeback and could be ready in time for Ibrox, a potential emotional lift as much as a tactical one.
O’Neill shuffled his pack in midweek, handing a debut to goalkeeper Sam Johnstone in place of Viljami Sinisalo, a decision that immediately sparks intrigue over who gets the gloves on Sunday. Cameron Carter-Vickers, left out entirely on Wednesday, is expected to be available again, bolstering Celtic’s defensive spine for the biggest domestic test of the season so far.
Predicted Rangers XI
Rangers: Pandur; Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice; Raskin, Devlin; Curtis, Kim, Gassama; Naderi.
No away fans. A manager under the microscope. A trophy on the line. For both clubs, this isn’t just about a semi-final spot – it’s about who seizes the first psychological blow in a season that already feels loaded with consequence.
