Celtic vs Rangers: Prediction, Team News & Lineups | 20 September 2026

The Old Firm returns one week after Rangers delivered a three-goal statement. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

Goal.mu prediction: Celtic 2-2 Rangers

Match details

• Fixture: Celtic vs Rangers
• Competition: Scottish Premiership
• Date: Sunday, September 20
• Venue: Celtic Park

Celtic’s perfect league record is hiding a turbulent fortnight

First takes on second in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon, when Celtic host Old Firm rivals Rangers at Celtic Park.

Celtic need McGregor, Baur, Hassan to move the first line before forcing the next pass. If those midfielders can receive facing forward, Nygren, Duran, Hogh can stay close to the penalty area and attack a defence that is still reorganising.

McInnes has found momentum at Rangers

The hosts are flawless in the league with six wins from six, with the visitors trailing the leaders by five points.

Rangers need the first pass after a regain to have a purpose. Raskin, Neil, Naderi can release Kim, Gassama, Kelsy early when the channel is open, but they also need enough patience to keep the ball when the front line is isolated.

Celtic may be flawless in the Scottish Premiership, with six wins from six games, but Martin O'Neill's side have had a far from perfect start to the 2026-27 campaign.

Celtic Park changes the tactical equation

The Bhoys have suffered the devastation of failing to qualify for the Champions League at the final hurdle, humiliatingly losing 5-1 in the second leg to LASK Linz to be eliminated 5-4 on aggregate.

Johnstone and Pandur can shape territory through distribution. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

Despite initially bouncing back from that defeat with four straight Scottish Premiership triumphs, Celtic have since suffered back-to-back losses heading into this match.

Team news and selection impact

The Bhoys were comfortably defeated 3-0 by their Old Firm rivals in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final, followed by a 3-1 loss to Ferencvaros in the opening game of the Europa League league phase.

The hosts are without Alistair Johnston, Callum Osmand and Jota due to ongoing injury issues, while Yang Hyun-Jun is unavailable due to his involvement at the Asian Games with South Korea.

O'Neill is likely to make changes from the side that lost to Ferencvaros in midweek, with Benjamin Nygren and Kasper Hogh likely to start in attack, while Tony Ralston and Auston Trusty could start in defence.

Meanwhile, Rangers remain without captain Lawrence Shankland due to a hamstring issue, while Youssef Chermiti is also ruled out with a cruciate ligament injury, meaning Kevin Kelsy – who scored in last weekend's win against Celtic – should keep his place in attack.

McInnes is likely to name an entirely unchanged team from last weekend's victory, and the manager will be further boosted by the potential returns of Tuur Rommens and Jose Cifuentes from injury.

Johnstone; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Scales; McGregor, Baur; Hassan, Nygren, Duran; Hogh

Pandur; Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice; Raskin, Neil; Naderi, Kim, Gassama; Kelsy

Predicted lineups

O'Neill's side were punished for several defensive errors in those two losses, and Celtic will be eager to put those behind them and win back the favour of their frustrated fans when they meet with Rangers once again on Sunday.

Celtic predicted XI: Johnstone; Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Scales; McGregor, Baur; Hassan, Nygren, Duran; Hogh.

Rangers predicted XI: Pandur; Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice; Raskin, Neil; Naderi, Kim, Gassama; Kelsy.

McGregor and Raskin in the central battle

Rangers, in comparison, endured a slow start to the season, including failing to win any of their opening four matches across all competitions – featuring their Europa League elimination.

The weak side may create the cleanest chance in Celtic vs Rangers. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

However, the Gers eventually found their feet under new boss Derek McInnes , with Rangers winning seven of their next eight matches, with the sole exception being a disappointing 1-0 loss and penalty defeat to Jablonec in the Conference League playoff qualifying round.

Kelsy against Celtic’s centre-backs

Five of those seven wins have come in their last five matches, including the brilliant 3-0 triumph against Celtic in Rangers' last outing, and McInnes will be hoping his side can replicate that result at Celtic Park.

In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

The Gers will have to overcome the challenge of playing at Celtic's home ground, where Rangers have won only two of their last 12 visits, while McInnes's men will also be without the support of an away crowd – with all away fans banned in Old Firm matches for this season.

Why emotion must not overpower structure

How Celtic Can Improve the Final Pass

Celtic need the last pass to match the movement ahead of it. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

How Rangers Can Protect Their Attacks

Rangers must think about the next defensive action while moving forward. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

The Value of the Next Action in Celtic vs Rangers

Why Patience Still Matters for Both Sides

One Final Tactical Question

Transition Control in Celtic vs Rangers

A central tactical issue in Celtic vs Rangers is how Celtic manage the space immediately after losing possession. McGregor, Baur, Hassan cannot all advance beyond the ball at once because that would leave Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Scales exposed to the first forward pass.

In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

How Rangers Can Use the First Escape Pass

The rhythm of Celtic vs Rangers could hinge on how quickly Rangers escape the first wave of home pressure. Raskin, Neil, Naderi need to recognise the difference between a genuine counter-attacking lane and a hopeful forward ball. When Kim, Gassama, Kelsy have support, playing early can punish an unsettled defence.

In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. That balance between speed and security should determine whether Rangers can relieve pressure for meaningful periods.

The Space Between the Lines

One underappreciated detail in Celtic vs Rangers is the distance between the deepest midfielder and the centre-backs. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

For Celtic, that means the midfield must stay connected to Ralston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Scales; for Rangers, the same principle applies around Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

Second Actions After the First Duel

Celtic vs Rangers also contains a clear battle over who controls the second action after the first duel is won. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. If Celtic recover the loose ball, they can keep Rangers pinned near their own box.

Applied to this matchup, Celtic need support around possession while Rangers need the first escape pass to reach a useful area.

Wide Overloads and Recovery Runs

The attacking width in Celtic vs Rangers should matter because both teams can create overloads without necessarily dominating possession. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. Celtic can use width to pull Rangers's block apart, but the nearest midfielder must protect the open channel.

Penalty-Area Occupation

Another match-specific question in Celtic vs Rangers concerns how the forwards occupy the penalty area when the ball reaches wide zones. Nygren, Duran, Hogh need one player attacking the near-post zone, another holding the central defender and a third arriving later rather than all chasing the same delivery.

Kim, Gassama, Kelsy face a similar requirement when Rangers break forward. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

Substitutions and the Match Pattern

Late-game management may become decisive in Celtic vs Rangers if neither side establishes a two-goal cushion. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

One More Reading of Celtic vs Rangers

For Celtic vs Rangers, the most revealing phase may be the transition from settled possession into defensive recovery. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures.

What the Previous Old Firm Meeting Changes

Rangers' 3-0 cup win is too recent to be treated as background noise. Celtic will have spent the week confronting the structural errors that allowed their rivals to attack space so cleanly. That should produce a more cautious opening than the league table alone might suggest.

Rangers, meanwhile, know the same spaces may not appear so freely at Celtic Park. McInnes may therefore ask his side to stay compact, absorb the first home surge and wait for the crowd's impatience to create opportunities.

The psychological battle is important, but the tactical response to the previous meeting matters even more.

Celtic's Response to the Cup Defeat

Celtic need to prove that the 3-0 cup defeat was an exception rather than a tactical warning. The most important correction is likely to be the spacing around midfield when Rangers break forward.

If McGregor receives with enough support and the full-backs do not advance at the same moment, Celtic can attack without leaving the same transition lanes. The home crowd will expect aggression, but a more controlled first half may give O'Neill's side a better route into the game.

Why Rangers Cannot Simply Repeat Last Week

Rangers will arrive with justified confidence, yet repeating the previous result requires more than copying the same plan. Celtic Park changes the emotional pressure and the home side are unlikely to leave identical spaces.

McInnes may need his team to defend slightly deeper at times, protect the central lane and wait for Celtic to overcommit. Kelsy can still threaten on the break, but the visitors need patience if the early momentum belongs to the hosts.

How Celtic Can Avoid Another Transition Collapse

Celtic's biggest correction must come after they lose the ball. In the cup defeat, Rangers repeatedly found room to attack before the home side could reset. At Celtic Park, O'Neill's team need one midfielder protecting the centre whenever the full-backs advance.

That will allow McGregor to support possession without leaving Carter-Vickers and Trusty exposed to direct runs. The home crowd will demand pressure, but pressure without rest defence could recreate the same problem that Rangers exploited a week earlier.

Rangers' Challenge After Setting the Benchmark

Rangers have already shown they can hurt Celtic, but this meeting asks a different question. The visitors now have to manage expectation as well as the opponent.

Celtic are likely to begin with far greater intensity, so McInnes may prefer a compact first phase before releasing Naderi, Kim and Gassama into transition. If Rangers survive the opening surge without losing shape, confidence from the previous win could become an advantage.

If they concede early, however, the emotional momentum of Celtic Park may alter the whole match.

Prediction

• Full-time result: Draw
• Double chance: Celtic or Draw
• Both teams to score: Yes
• Goals: Over 2.5 goals
• Correct score: Celtic 2-2 Rangers

In Celtic vs Rangers, the same phase has a different consequence because Celtic and Rangers arrive there from contrasting structures. Goal.mu's prediction is Celtic 2-2 Rangers.