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Live Updates

The squads take the field into the noise, Hampden Park separated evenly with blue and green sections. For the right to face St Mirren in this stadium in December … here we go.

Other Matches

More matches: John Brewin provides live updates for West Ham vs Newcastle in the EPL; Yara El-Shaboury delivers fresh updates from the initial games in the WSL.

Regarding our coverage, we're only five minutes away until kick-off at Hampden!

Match Officials

Nick Walsh will referee this afternoon. He also refereed the 2024 Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Rangers and a Europa League match last season where he showed four red cards and a dozen bookings. Avoid challenging him.

Manager Insights

The Rangers manager: Although this marks his initial Old Firm, the new Rangers manager has emphasized recently that he's used to participating in other important local clashes during his managerial journey, during his time at Bayern and Sheffield Wednesday.

I can remember during Hansi Flick's appointment, our second game took place against Dortmund at our stadium. We won 4-0. It always provides a lift following success in these encounters. As well, in the Championship in the Steel derby, I participated there too. I know what it means among the followers. This transcends ordinary football.

The young coach has also been lauding 73-year-old Martin O'Neill's longevity.

I have tremendous respect for such a managerial journey. I consider it consistently remarkable for a coach when you sustain your career over decades in this field and you are successful.

I'm merely commencing my coaching path. I have substantial work ahead to achieve similar status though the encouraging factor we commence evenly matched, distinct coaching generations and let's see what we can contribute via our selections in this game.

I am very excited. I've gained some experience yet I foresee a massive occasion on Sunday. To participate in such a match, the stakes are extremely high. You win, you go into the final, a loss ends your participation. I think everything is on for an outstanding match.

Counterpart Perspective

Martin O'Neill: The stand-in manager has recently been recalling about his first meeting versus their rivals 25 years ago, the famous 6-2 demolition.

Certainly, matching that achievement may prove quite arduous, putting six past them versus that team. I would take a scrappy single-goal triumph if we managed to secure it. Various individuals tell me and inform me: 'That was an amazing match', though they weren't alive then. They inform me their ancestors and parents spoke about it regularly. It evolved into a decisive encounter for us, not merely in that term, but probably for continuing on.

The tension for nearly 72 hours before, and then should you secure success, tremendous relief. And I believe that's exactly the legendary Walter Smith often mentioned too, that it was relief more than anything else. Yet these represented superb matches genuinely. It's still a fantastic fixture.

This is a big game for our club. Honestly, don't conceal that fact. It's a last-four clash, it's a big match for our side. Any Celtic-Rangers game is a big game, but particularly given the circumstances of recent times, if not recent weeks, definitely.

Coaching Background

Two different coaches in the dugouts today but there's a big gap in derby experience among them. Danny Röhl encounters his inaugural as Rangers manager while Martin O'Neill gets ready to manage his twenty-eighth.

The outcome today might significantly influence regarding the tenure O'Neill's comeback as (interim, for now) Celtic boss lasts, as Ewan Murray has considered.

The club might spend substantial compensation to lure Kieran McKenna away from Ipswich. They might consider a more significant chance with Robbie Keane. The title holders could decide to provide Nicky Hayen from Club Brugge a debut opportunity in British football. These constitute chances in different manners. Beyond O'Neill? This is arguable.

First XIs

Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Ralston, Trusty, Scales, Sarrachi; McGregor, Engels, Nygren; Maeda, Kenny, Tounekti.

Substitutes: Sinisalo, Balikwisha, Yang, Osmand, McCowan, Hatate, Murray, Forrest, Tierney.

Marcelo Sarrachi features instead of Kieran Tierney on the left defensive flank. James Forrest is also omitted from the starting lineup that defeated Falkirk in their recent match.

Rangers (3-4-3): Butland; Djiga, Souttar, Cornelius; Tavernier, Diomande, Raskin, Meghoma; Aasgaard, Chermiti, Danilo.

Substitutes: Kelly, Aarons, Fernández, Rothwell, Antman, Moore, Gassama, Curtis, Miovski.

James Tavernier receives preference ahead of Max Aarons in the right flank position, featuring Mohamed Diomande replacing the banned Connor Barron in the middle and Thelo Aasgaard preferred over Mikey Moore in offensive positions.

Opening Context

Hello and welcome to this Old Firm clash. It should be improved {than last time|compared to the previous meeting|versus