Celtic vs Rangers: All the latest updates, pre-match thoughts and reaction to Old Firm clash

Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic celebrates after scoring the team's second goalKyogo Furuhashi of Celtic celebrates after scoring the team's second goal
Kyogo Furuhashi of Celtic celebrates after scoring the team's second goal | Getty Images
Celtic and Rangers prepare to go head-to-head in a game that could make or break the Premiership title race this afternoon.

Heading into today’s match, Ange Postecoglou’s reigning champions have a commanding nine-point lead over their city rivals at the league summit, while Rangers are on an impressive unbeaten run of their own under Michael Beale.

However, they haven’t had much joy at Celtic Park in recent years and return to the venue without a win in five previous visits. The Ibrox side must claim maximum points to stand any chance of overhauling the Hoops this season.

They will require a massive performance in front of a capacity 60,000 home crowd due to there being no away fans allowed inside the ground.

Celtic vs Rangers: All the latest updates, pre-match thoughts and reaction to Old Firm clash

Key Events

  • Both teams are unbeaten in the league since the World Cup break
  • Rangers have failed to win any of their last five matches at Celtic Park
  • There will be no away supporters present at Parkhead

An improved derby day performance from Rangers but two dreadful defensive mistakes have been ruthlessly punished by Celtic in a five-goal thriller at Parkhead.

Kyogo Furuhashi’s double and Jota’s superb finish cancels out James Tavernier’s braceas he took his tally to 100 goals for the Ibrox club, but the landmark achievement pales into insignificance at the moment.

Jota of Celtic celebrates with teammate Callum McGregor after scoring the team's third goal Jota of Celtic celebrates with teammate Callum McGregor after scoring the team's third goal
Jota of Celtic celebrates with teammate Callum McGregor after scoring the team's third goal | Getty Images

Celtic 3-2 Rangers - It’s all over at Parkhead! Ange Postecoglou’s side move 12 points clear of their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premiership, with seven games left to play.

Poor, poor free-kick from Barisic who blazes high over the crossbar. That could well be it as the clock ticks past 95 minutes.

Free-kick to Rangers

Rangers have a free-kick in a very promising position right on the edge of the box with what could be the final action of the match. Everyone up...

Late chances at either end

Oh Hyeon-gyu sends Bernabei clean through on goal, with just McGregor to beat but the Argentine full-back instead decides t square the ball rather than have a shot but he can’t pick out a team-mate.

Moments later, substitute Antonio Colak who has replaced Alfredo Morelos, is down with a knock after firing wide of the target.

Five minutes of added time to play... Can Rangers salvage a share of the spoils or will Celtic hold on?

Alexandro Bernabei and David Turnbull have been introduced for Celtic in place of two-goal hero Kyogo and Daizen Maeda.

Rangers boss Michael Beale has turned to John Lundstram and Scott Wright in their pursuit of a much-needed equaliser, with Ryan Jack and Todd Cantwell making way.

Tavernier almost nets a quick-fire leveller, nodding just wide of the target after Haksabanovic switches off defensively.

Rangers handed lifeline

A moment to savour for James Tavernier. Here’s how he dragged Rangers back into the match...

Rangers give themselves a lifeline after 78 minutes. James Tavernier races in at the back post to meet a cross from fellow full-back Borna Barisic and heads in his 100th goal for the club - a remarkable achievement!

“It’s a striker’s header,” admits former Rangers striker Kenny Miller on BBC Sportsound.

Double change for Celtic

Ange Postecoglou makes two more changes, with goal scorer Jota and Matt O’Riley replaced by Sead Haksabanovic and Oh Hyeon-gyu.

A huge momentum shift now and it’s a sickening goal for Rangers to lose. Here’s how Celtic have gone 3-1 up...

Jota pounces on another calamitous defensive error from Rangers to give the Hoops a two-goal advantage. John Souttar with a sloppy pass back and Allan McGregor is slow to react. With the Portuguese winger lurking, he gets there before the 41-year-old keeper and slips the ball into an empty net from a tight angle.

It’s another brilliant finish from Kyogo who is alert and clinical when the ball drops to him. Ben Davies won’t want to watch this back. Here’s how Celtic regained the lead...

Fashion Sakala enters the fray with just over 20 minutes remaining. He replaces Malik Tillman.

Just when it seemed as though Celtic needed a spark from somewhere, up steps fans favourite Kyogo Furuhashi. The talisman takes full advantage of some horrendous defending from Rangers centre-back Ben Davies. The Englishmans get his attempted clearance all wrong and a tame header right on the touchline sees the ball bounce off Jota into Kyogo’s path and he makes no mistake from a tight angle.

Aaron Mooy, who has looked a bit rusty on his first start in a number of weeks, has been replaced by Tomoki Iwata as Celtic make their first change of the match.

‘He has to score'

An incredible goal line block from Borna Barisic prevents Kyogo from scoring Celtic’s second as we approach the hour mark. However, Jota looked to be in an offside position in the build-up as he forced McGregor into a save. The officials got that call right.

It’s been an engrosing match. Which way will the pendulum swing next? The next goal could be critical...

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