Predicted Rangers XI vs Celtic: 2 changes in quest to dent rivals title bid + boost hopes of Champions League place
Here’s how we think Danny Rohl will set up his Rangers XI to face Celtic in their latest Scottish Premiership clash at Parkhead on Sunday
The Scottish Premiership title race may have been reduced to a two-horse race - but Rangers will have a major say in deciding if the trophy ends up in Glasgow or Edinburgh.
The Ibrox side's title dreams were all but extinguished after back-to-back defeats to Motherwell and Hearts, leaving second-placed Celtic as the remaining challengers to the Jambos.
The Hoops trail by three points with three games left to play, but Danny Röhl's men will attempt to put a huge dent in Celtic’s bid for a domestic double with a victory in Sunday’s Old Firm derby at Parkhead.
Victory for Hearts away at Motherwell on Saturday night would officially rule Rangers out of contention for the league title but they can still secure a runners-up finish, which comes with a Champions League qualifying place.
The Govan giants won the previous Old Firm clash in Glasgow’s east end in January, but German boss Röhl is yet to get the better of Martin O'Neill this season after playing out a league draw and defeats in both cup competitions.
Danny Rohl on Celtic vs Rangers
Rohl is eyeing another successful trip to Celtic Park this weekend, stating: “Nobody needs extra motivation to go in this game. We want to make our supporters and fans proud and that means we have to deliver on Sunday.
“The last game there is a good picture of our last couple of weeks. In the first half, we started well but then the opponent was better and scored. We adjusted things at half-time and had a plan B. We then turned it to 3-1. We showed we can do that. That's when we really felt the belief that even when things don't go right in a game we can turn them in the right direction.
“In the last 15 years we didn't win what we should do and I think this is a big part of what we have to change. In the last six months, we improved the standards higher and higher. In the last seven days we couldn't and I think this is a big part in our future.
“We move forward now and it gives me, especially also for the new season, a big, big motivation to be better every day, increase the standards and make the step forward what we want.”
How Rangers could line-up vs Celtic
Rohl reported a clean bill of health in his pre-match press conference on Friday after being boosted by the return of Tuur Rommens and Ryan Naderi from recent injury lay-offs on Monday.
Both players started came off the bench at Tynecastle for the final 15 minutes and could force their way back into the reckoning to feature from the outset this weekend. That seems unlikely given Rohl has proceeded to tread carefully with certain player’s minutes of late, with Dujon Sterling and Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore both having their workload monitored closely.
Barring any late issues, it’s hard to envisage Rohl making sweeping changes to his starting line-up. Instead, he is expected to stick with those he has placed full faith in over recent months.
Here’s who we think will start for Rangers this weekend. TWO changes are predicted to the side that lost 2-1 at leaders Hearts on Monday night, with fit-again Rommens to take over from James Tavernier, which would see Dujon Sterling shuffle back across to his favoured right-back position. Meanwhile, Djeidi Gassama is a prime candidate to replace Andreas Skov Olsen on the right-hand side of attack.
- Jack Butland - GK
- Dujon Sterling - RB
- Nasser Djiga - RCB
- Emmanuel Fernandez - LCB
- Tuur Rommens - LB
- Nico Raskin - CM
- Tochi Chukwuani - CM
- Djeidi Gassama - RW
- Mohamed Diomande - CAM
- Mikey Moore - LW
- Youssef Chermiti - CF
SUBS: Liam Kelly (GK), James Tavernier, John Souttar, Andreas Skov Olsen, Connor Barron, Thelo Aasgaard, Oliver Antman, Ryan Naderi, Bojan Miovski.