Rangers vs Celtic LIVE: Old Firm score and updates as visitors ...
Rangers host Celtic in an Old Firm clash that could potentially decide a thrilling Premiership title race. Celtic have won 11 of the last 12 titles and lead Rangers by a point, but the Ibrox side hold a game in hand and have been in superb form under Philippe Clement since a 2-0 defeat at Celtic Park back in December.
Celtic also won 1-0 at Ibrox in September - against previous Rangers boss Michael Beale - but Brendan Rodgers’ side have since battled through injuries as their rivals have closed the gap. There will be one more Old Firm to play towards the end of the season, following the Premiership split.
However a title race that has already contained plenty of twists and turns could yet have a few more in store.
Follow live updates from Rangers vs Celtic in the Old Firm, below, and get the latest odds and tips for the match, here
Rangers vs Celtic LIVE: Latest Old Firm updates
Rangers host Celtic in key Old Firm clash, with kick-off at 12pm BST
Celtic lead Rangers by a point, but Ibrox side hold a game in hand
Celtic have won 11 of last 12 titles as Rangers eye upset ahead of run-in
34’ GOAL! O’Riley converts from the spot after handball (RAN 0-2 CEL)
24’ CHANCE! Goldson heads over from close range (RAN 0-1 CEL)
1’ GOAL! Maeda puts Celtic ahead after 21 seconds (RAN 0-1 CEL)
Rangers XI: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Sterling, Lundstram, Diomande, Lawrence, Wright, Silva, Dessers
Celtic XI: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, Tomoki, Hatate, O’Riley, Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda.
GOAL! Rangers 2-2 Celtic (Dessers, 57 mins)
13:18 , Ben Fleming
What a turnaround!
GOAL! Rangers 1-2 Celtic (Tavernier, 55 mins)
13:16 , Ben Fleming
A superb penalty from the Rangers captain, fired right into the top corner. No chance for Hart and suddenly the home side have hope.
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
13:15 , Ben Fleming
54 mins: PENALTY! Well, that one is going to be controversial. It looked very minimal contact from Johnston on Silva but the referee reverses his decision and the yellow card for Silva as he awards a penalty.
A huge chance for Rangers.
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
13:13 , Ben Fleming
51 mins: Silva throws himself to the ground in dramatic fashion after the slightest of touches from Johnston but the referee is having none of it and shows the Rangers forward a yellow card for simulation.
There is a VAR check, though, and the referee is heading to the monitor...
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
13:09 , Ben Fleming
48 mins: Hatate has the first strike on goal after the break but it’s gathered well by Butland.
KICK-OFF! Rangers 0-2 Celtic
13:06 , Ben Fleming
46 mins: And with that change, Celtic get us back underway for the second half.
Changes at the break
13:06 , Ben Fleming
Unsurprisingly, Rangers make a change at the break, with Sima replacing Wright.
HALF-TIME: Rangers 0-2 Celtic
13:00 , Ben Fleming
Just in case you needed reminding of the task awaiting Rangers after the break, Celtic have lost just one of the 17 league games in which they have led at half-time this season.
Three points today would move them four points clear of Rangers at the top of the table.
HALF-TIME: Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:56 , Ben Fleming
Here’s a look at those two first-half goes, including that remarkable goal after just 21 seconds...
????️ "A breathtaking start to a breathtaking derby!"
Daizen Maeda pounces on James Tavernier's error to give Celtic the lead vs Rangers inside the first THIRTY seconds - watch live on @SkyFootball ???? pic.twitter.com/lQ26ifFk0B
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) April 7, 2024
HALF-TIME: Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:54 , Ben Fleming
One-way traffic at the break.
HALF-TIME: Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:50 , Ben Fleming
Boos ring out from the home fans as the half-time whistle goes. They’ve been second-best for the majority of this half and have a mountain to climb after goals from Maeda and O’Riley.
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:49 , Ben Fleming
45+1 mins: SAVE! The first real chance for Rangers as Silva latches onto the ball inside the area.
The Portuguese forward tries to slide his effort under Hart but it’s a great save from the former England international to deny the home side right on the brink of half-time.
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:47 , Ben Fleming
45 mins: Another quick counter from Celtic as Kyogo lays it off to the onrushing Hatate. The midfielder, though, gets his finish all wrong as the ball bobbles out for a goal-kick.
Two minutes of added time to come.
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:44 , Ben Fleming
41 mins: And another booking follows shortly after for the away side after O’Riley is late into the challenge on Diomande. The visitors do well to initially clear the free-kick but they do eventually concede a corner.
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:42 , Ben Fleming
39 mins: A yellow card for Johnston after a pour challenge from the full-back.
Rangers 0-2 Celtic
12:38 , Ben Fleming
36 mins: Celtic just keep coming forward and it’s a great chance for a third. Taylor whips in an enticing ball from the left but Kyogo gets his header all wrong at the far post and it flies out for a goal-kick.
GOAL! Rangers 0-2 Celtic (O’Riley, 34 mins)
12:37 , Ben Fleming
A superb finish from O’Riley who calmly clips it down the middle as Butland dives to his left.
Ibrox is completely silent with no away fans in the stadium but Celtic won’t care one bit. They have a vice-like grip on this game now.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:35 , Ben Fleming
PENALTY! Referee John Beaton heads to the monitor and it’s a relatively simple decision. The elbow of Goldson was outstretched and clearly deflected the ball away from Scales inside the box.
A huge chance for Celtic to double their lead.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:34 , Ben Fleming
31 mins: SAVE! Well, that will surely get Gareth Southgate’s attention.
Butland makes a great diving save to tip O’Riley’s superb header over the bar before diving onto a loose ball as Scales looked to poke it home from the corner.
There’s now a VAR check, though, for a handball from Goldson.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:31 , Ben Fleming
28 mins: The camera pans to England boss Gareth Southgate who is watching on from the stands, presumably keeping tabs on Jack Butland.
There’s not much the Rangers keeper could have done about Celtic’s opener but he made a good stop a moment ago to deny Maeda.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:29 , Ben Fleming
26 mins: And now a great couple of chances up the other end for Celtic to double their lead.
Maeda’s curling strike lacks conviction and is palmed away by Butland before Hatate’s fierce effort from outside the box whirls just past the post.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:27 , Ben Fleming
24 mins: CHANCE! Goldson has to score.
The defender gets the beating of Carter-Vickers from the corner and rises well to meet Diomande’s cross but gets the contact all wrong, as the ball deflects off his shoulder and over the bar from little more than six yards out.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:23 , Ben Fleming
20 mins: Kuhn pulls back Sterling’s shirt and receives the first yellow card of the game. The German perhaps took the punishment there after an accumulation of small fouls from his teammates.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:21 , Ben Fleming
19 mins: Dessers uses his body well to bring down the high ball but it’s poor from his team-mate Lawrence who doesn’t spot the striker’s run and instead clips a ball aimlessly into the hands of Hart.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:18 , Ben Fleming
15 mins: Rangers have had more of the ball in this opening 15 minutes but the Celtic midfielders - O’Riley and Hatate in particular - have harried the home side well in possession and not allowed them to play forward with any great ease.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:15 , Ben Fleming
12 mins: This game still hasn’t settled into a familiar pattern yet, perhaps it never will. Another clumsy challenge from Carter-Vickers - he needs to be careful or an early yellow card will be coming his way.
Up the other end, Hatate drifts wide on the left side but his low ball into the box just evades Kyogo at the far post.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:11 , Ben Fleming
9 mins: A high, lunging challenge from Scales but it’s well-executed from the Celtic defender. Wright looked in some pain on the floor following the collision but he’s back on his feet now.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:11 , Ben Fleming
It was only 21 seconds but, remarkably, Maeda’s opener today is not the earliest goal in Old Firm Derby history.
Celtic's Chris Sutton netted 19 seconds into a 3-2 Rangers win in 2002...
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:10 , Ben Fleming
7 mins: Dessers attempts to spin Carter-Vickers and get a shot off inside the box but the Celtic defender does superbly to prevent his opposite number doing so.
Rangers 0-1 Celtic
12:07 , Ben Fleming
5 mins: The first real chance for Rangers comes as they win a free-kick on the right side. It’s whipped in by Tavernier but Hart comes through the crowd to claim the high ball.
GOAL! Rangers 0-1 Celtic (Maeda, 1 min)
12:05 , Ben Fleming
Wow! 21 seconds and the visitors are ahead. It’s a simple punt forward from Hart which Tavernier looks to have under control.
But it’s a bit too relaxed from the Rangers captain whose attempted clearance cannons off Maeda and flies into the back of the net.
What an unusual goal but Celtic won’t care one bit. The home fans stunned into silence.
KICK-OFF! Rangers 0-0 Celtic
12:02 , Ben Fleming
1 min: The hosts get us underway here in the first half.
Here come the players
12:00 , Ben Fleming
The noise inside the stadium is something else as flares erupt from inside the home stand.
Kick-off fast approaching
11:54 , Ben Fleming
The atmosphere inside Ibrox is as expected ahead of this massive game. Just over five minutes to go until kick-off now...
Can Kyogo star again?
11:49 , Ben Fleming
Kyogo Furuhashi has scored in both meetings between Celtic and Rangers in the Scottish Premiership this season and could become the first player to net in three league Old Firm derbies in the same season since Tomas Rogic in 2017-18.
Rodgers’ impressive Old Firm record
11:44 , Ben Fleming
The Celtic boss has won 12 of his 15 meetings with Rangers in all competitions, losing just once. The 80% win rate is the highest of any manager in this fixture.
Can he extend that record away from home today?
Neil Lennon: ‘Celtic can’t get beat
11:39 , Ben Fleming
“This game is enormous. These games are always pivotal in a title run-in,” former Celtic boss Lennon says on Sky Sports.
“Celtic can’t get beat. If Rangers win, it puts them in a really good position. Losing McGregor to the bench is a big, big blow for Celtic. We know the composure he brings to these games. Iwata is really going to have to stand up.”
Brendan Rodgers: Calm heads the key
11:34 , Ben Fleming
“I think it’s important not to get entrenched in the whole storyline because at times the storyline can be that ‘it could a disaster’,” the Celtic boss said at his pre-match press conference.
“But for me the storyline is that there is always opportunity. You arrive, you stay calm and you just look to focus on your performance.
“This is one of the greatest, most iconic games in world football but you’ve got to perform and you can only do that by staying calm and looking to play your football.”
Philippe Clement: Today’s match is not decisive
11:27 , Ben Fleming
“Whoever wins is not the champion,” the Rangers boss said ahead of today’s hotly-anticipated encounter.
“I don’t want mathematicians in my dressing room - I want passionate players who give their best every day for their team and that’s what I’ve been seeing.
“We have another Old Firm game in a few weeks also, so it’s not yet a decisive game.”
Tight at the top
11:20 , Ben Fleming
There is just one point (and one goal difference) separating both sides heading into today’s fixture. Celtic have won both derbies so far this season but it’s Rangers who have the game in hand on their Glaswegian rivals.
It’s about as tight as it could get.
Team news
11:12 , Ben Fleming
For Rangers, there are two changes as Sterling and Lawrence come in for Barisic and Cantwell.
Celtic, meanwhile, name an unchanged XI although there is space for captain Callum McGregor on the bench having missed the last four matches.
Rangers team news:
11:02 , Ben Fleming
Rangers XI: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Sterling, Lundstram, Diomande, Lawrence, Wright, Silva, Dessers.
Celtic team news
11:02 , Ben Fleming
Celtic have announced their team for the match.
Celtic XI: Hart, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Scales, Taylor, Tomoki, Hatate, O’Riley, Kuhn, Kyogo, Maeda.
Rangers vs Celtic
11:00 , Sonia Twigg
Celtic captain Callum McGregor has a “very good chance” of facing Rangers but will not be risked on Livingston’s artificial surface.
Manager Brendan Rodgers will delay McGregor’s comeback until after Sunday’s cinch Premiership contest at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
The midfielder has been troubled by Achilles pain and has not featured since coming off at half-time during Celtic’s 7-1 win over Dundee on February 28.
Rangers vs Celtic tips: Scottish Premiership predictions, betting odds and free bets
10:45 , Sonia Twigg
Odds
Rangers win 5/4
Draw 13/5
Celtic win 21/10
Get the latest football betting site offers here
Rangers vs Celtic tips: Scottish Premiership predictions, betting odds and free bets
Early team news
10:30 , Sonia Twigg
Rangers boss Philippe Clement could hand a star to Abdallah Sima after the Brighton loanee made a return off the bench last time out.
Luis Palma remains out through injury for Celtic but Brendan Rodgers has been boosted by the availability of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate.
When is Rangers vs Celtic?
10:15 , Sonia Twigg
Rangers vs Celtic is due to kick off at 12pm BST on Sunday 7 April at Ibrox.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, with coverage from 11am BST. Subscribers can stream the action via Sky Go.
Welcome
10:00 , Jamie Braidwood
Rangers and Celtic renew hostilities in a crucial edition of the Old Firm derby with the two sides vying for top spot in the Scottish Premiership.
Just a point separates the Glasgow rivals in first and second, with Rangers, who have a game in hand, able to move top with a home victory.
Brendan Rodgers’ visitors have won both previous meetings this season, though, and will know that a win at Ibrox would put them in a strong position to retain their crown.