Rangers vs Celtic Match Analysis & Prediction
02/01/2023 3:30 pm
Bitter rivals Rangers and Celtic kick off the new year by contesting another Old Firm derby on Monday, with the two sides separated by nine points entering 2023.
While the hosts seek a fifth straight victory in order to narrow the gap between the teams, the visitors are aiming to extend their lead in the Scottish Premiership to double figures.
Wednesday’s 3-0 victory over Motherwell took Rangers’ goal tally to 10 since the World Cup break, and they now aim to win five in a row in the Premiership for the first time this season.
Sitting 17 points clear of third-placed Hearts and having crashed out of Europe dishonorably, the Gers’ clear priority is to chase down Celtic for top spot.
Having scraped through matches against Hearts and Aberdeen through stoppage-time winners, before keeping clean sheets in their last two games of 2022, Michael Beale’s side may therefore believe that Celtic can be stopped – closing the gap to a more negotiable six points.
However, a 4-0 victory over Rangers in September’s derby proved a statement of intent from Ange Postecoglou’s irrepressible Celtic side, who have gone on to win all but one of their 19 league matches this season.
Celtic recorded a 12th consecutive Premiership victory when they faced Hibernian at Easter Road on Wednesday, as Kyogo Furuhashi completed the scoring in a 4-0 win.
Now for the 83rd time, Celtic’s first league match of a year comes in the Old Firm derby, and they have lost just one of the last six such meetings. Their only setback was on the most recent occasion, a 1-0 defeat in 2021, but they have otherwise won their league opener in 11 of the last 12 calender years.
Having also won three of their last four league encounters with the Light Blues, after tasting victory in just two of their previous 10, recent precedent is on their side as well as current form.
Rangers vs. Celtic Head to head
In the previous 110 meetings between these two teams across all competitions, Rangers have claimed 40 victories while Celtic have won 49, and they have drawn in 21. Celtic have scored 159 goals and conceded 130.
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02/02/2022Celtic3Rangers0Premiership
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03/04/2022Rangers1Celtic2Premiership
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17/04/2022Celtic1Rangers2(E)FA Cup
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01/05/2022Celtic1Rangers1Premiership
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03/09/2022Celtic4Rangers0Rangers
Rangers Team News
Antonio Colak should be available for Rangers, but Kemar Roofe remains a major doubt, while Ianis Hagi has been tipped to return from long-term injury later this month.
Michael Beale is unlikely to make several chnges to the lineup that started in midweek, though Glen Kamara and James Sands are among those pushing for a recall.
Rangers's Last 5 Matches
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10/12/2022Rangers3Bayer Leverkusen0Club Friendlies
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15/12/2022Rangers3Hibernian2Premiership
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20/12/2022Aberdeen2Rangers3Premiership
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23/12/2022Ross County0Rangers1Premiership
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28/12/2022Rangers3Motherwell0Premiership
Celtic Team News
Sead Haksabanovic is set to miss out for Celtic on Monday, as the forward is still sidelined by a foot injury, while Anthony Ralston will also be unavailable.
Jota and Josip Juranovic are in contention to start on Monday, while recent signings Yuki Kobayashi and Alastair Johnston could also play a part if they receive clearance in time.
Celtic's Last 5 Matches
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10/12/2022Rennes4Celtic3Club Friendlies
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17/12/2022Aberdeen0Celtic1Premiership
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21/12/2022Celtic2Livingston1Premiership
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24/12/2022Celtic4St Johstone1Premiership
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28/12/2022Hibernian0Celtic4Premiership
Rangers vs. Celtic: Odds and Predictions
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