Rangers vs Celtic: Starting teams revealed for season's first Old Firm

Michael Beale and Brendan Rodgers have named their starting line-ups for the first Old Firm game of the 2023/24 season.

Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox with both clubs looking to get back to winning ways after recent disappointments.

The Hoops currently have a one-point lead over their rivals after last week’s draw with St Johnstone and Beale’s side’s opening game defeat at Rugby Park.

Glasgow’s big two met six times last season with Celtic getting the best out of the fixtures with four wins and a draw on their way to a treble.

However Rangers won the last meeting between the pair with a 3-0 victory at Ibrox towards the end of last season.

Nothing will be decided on Sunday, but the first Old Firm game usually goes a long way to set the standard for the season with the winner of the first derby going on to win the league from six of the last seven seasons.

Rangers suffered a 5-1 defeat in Eindhoven in midweek and will be looking to make amends in front of 50,000 of their own support and Beale has made three changes from the Champions League playoff game against PSV with John Lundstram, Jose Cifuentes and Borna Barisic dropping out.

He starts with Jack Butland in goals behind a back-four of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, John Souttar and Dujon Sterling, who replaces Borna Barisic at left-back.

Ryan Jack comes back in and he anchors a midfield three alongside Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell with Rabbi Matondo, Cyriel Dessers and Kemar Roofe, who scored against Ross County in his long awaited return to first-team action last week, providing the goal threat.

Celtic have failed to win, or even score, in their last two games as they were knocked out of the League Cup at Kilmarnock and drew 0-0 with St Johnstone in Glasgow.

But Rodgers has resisted the temptation to throw any of his three new signings in from the start and makes only one change from last week with Abada coming in for Yang.

Celtic have started with Joe Hart in goals behind a back four of Alistair Johnston, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Liam Scales and Greg Taylor.

Captain Callum McGregor is joined in midfield with Matt O’Riley and David Turnbull.

Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada start either side of Kyogo Furuhashi in an attacking trio as they look to get back amongst the goals.

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