Old Firm: Team news confirmed as Rangers and Celtic announce starting line-ups for Ibrox clash

Rangers and Celtic will be aiming to land an early blow on their fierce Glasgow rivals when they go head-to-head in the first Old Firm derby of the season at Ibrox this afternoon.

Just a solitary point separates the two sides in the Scottish Premiership table after the opening three rounds of fixtures, so a victory here would hand either side the initiative in the title race as they look to overtake pacesetters St Mirren.

The Hoops, under the leadership of Brendan Rodgers, had a busy end to the summer transfer window this week, with Honduran winger Luis Palma arriving from Aris Thessaloniki, central defender Nat Phillips checking in on loan from Liverpool and Portuguese midfielder Paulo Bernardo jetting in on a season-long loan from Benfica, with an option-to-buy clause inserted into the deal.

Sead Haksabanovic headed out in the opposite direction, joining EFL Championship side Stoke City on a temporary basis.

Rangers had a much quieter end to the window, with Michael Beale complete his transfer business earlier in the summer. Ianis Hagi moved out to La Liga outfit Alaves on loan, while academy youngster Josh McPake had his contract terminated.

Both sides come into the match following a tough week for the hosts in European competition. They missed out on securing Champions League group stage football for a second consecutive season after losing heavily 5-1 to PSV Eindhoven in the play-off round.

Beale makes THREE changes to the side who crashed to defeat in Eindhoven on Wednesday, with left-back Borna Barisic absent from the matchday squad through injury and replaced by versatile defender Dujon Sterling. Midfield pair Jose Cifuentes and John Lundstram drop to the bench, with Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe coming into the side.

Opposite number Rodgers makes only ONE change to the side who were held to a drab goalless draw against St Johnstone last weekend, with Liel Abada preferred to South Korean winger Yang Hyun-jun, who is dropped to the bench.

There’s no place for injured quintet, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Reo Hatate, Maik Nawrocki, Marco Tilio, and Stephen Welsh, but striker Oh Hyeon-gyu is named among the substitutes after recovering from a few weeks’ absence through injury.

New signing Luis Palma is also included on the bench, but loanees Nat Phillips and Paulo Bernardo will have to watch the action unfold from the stands.

So here’s your confirmed pre-match team news, in full, ahead of the first Old Firm derby of the season...

Rangers starting XI (4-3-1-2)

Jack Butland; James Tavernier (c), Connor Goldson, John Souttar, Dujon Sterling; Ryan Jack, Nicolas Raskin, Todd Cantwell; Rabbi Matondo; Kemar Roofe, Cyriel Dessers.

And the bench...

Robby McCrorie (GK), Ridvan Yilmaz, John Lundstram, Tom Lawrence, Sam Lammers, Jose Cifuentes, Abdallah Sima, Ben Davies, Danilo.

Celtic starting XI (4-3-3)

Joe Hart; Alistair Johnston, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Liam Scales, Greg Taylor; Callum McGregor (c), Matt O’Riley, David Turnbull; Liel Abada, Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi.

And the bench...

Scott Bain (GK), Luis Palma, Yang Hyun-jun, Odin Thiago Holm, Yuki Kobayashi, Oh Hyeon-gyu, Kwon Hyeok-kyu, Alexandro Bernabei, Anthony Ralston.