Celtic vs Rangers: Old Firm key battles analysed forward of Celtic Park conflict

Two factors separate Celtic and Rangers on the prime of the Scottish Premiership, so the place might Saturday’s Old Firm conflict be received or misplaced?

Rangers make the journey to Celtic Park figuring out defeat can be a dent to their title hopes even at this early stage of the season.

The Ibrox facet are literally unbeaten in 4 of their final 5 visits to Celtic Park within the Scottish Premiership, so forward of Saturday’s encounter, WhoScored.com select 4 key head-to-heads that might nicely decide who has bragging rights this weekend.

Saturday third September 11:30am


Kick off 12:30pm

Josip Juranovic vs James Tavernier

As far because the full-backs are involved for the Old Firm, all eyes will definitely be on Rangers captain James Tavernier, however Josip Juranovic actually has his half to play for Celtic. The 27-year-old has established himself as first-choice for Celtic since his arrival final summer season and his versatility has been key, able to taking part in in both full-back place. The Croatia worldwide has settled right into a right-back function this season and that can see him come up in opposition to Ryan Kent and compatriot Borna Barisic.

Juranovic’s function within the workforce isn’t similar to Tavernier’s, however he heads into the Old Firm in good kind in entrance of aim with a aim and an help in his final two outings. Importantly, nevertheless, he has accomplished six of his seven tried tackles within the Scottish Premiership this season. He will should be at his finest defensively to maintain Rangers’ assault quiet to restrict the variety of crosses they’re able to placing into harmful areas.

Meanwhile, Rangers’ boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst shall be encouraging Tavernier to make his presence felt within the opposition half as usually as attainable.

The 30-year-old’s output makes Trent Alexander-Arnold look common. Over the final three Scottish Premiership campaigns, Tavernier, a right-back, has remarkably performed a direct hand in a minimum of 9 extra targets than some other participant (42) and he already has 4 targets and assists in 5 video games in 2022/23.

Callum McGregor vs John Lundstram

Callum McGregor has taken to his new function beneath Ange Postecoglou like a duck to water, thriving on the base of Celtic’s midfield because the again finish of final season. It is a much less glamorous function than he was used to, however equally as necessary. After taking part in a direct hand in 10 targets within the 2020/21 league marketing campaign as a No 8, he solely managed 4 targets and assists final time period and is but to depart his mark within the closing third this time period.

Rather than ending off assaults, he’s now beginning them. The Celtic captain averages 75.4 passes per sport this season and his go accuracy stands at a powerful 91 per cent. However, there are nonetheless enhancements to come back from the 29-year-old, as a WhoScored score of simply 6.64 is nicely off the requirements set over the earlier two seasons.

John Lundstram struggled to nail down a job for Rangers after he first signed from Sheffield United in the summertime of 2021. It was initially anticipated he can be a box-to-box midfielder, however since settling on the base of Rangers’ midfield, he has actually established himself as a key participant for the membership, significantly throughout final season’s Europa League run, and that has continued beneath Van Bronckhorst.

The 28-year-old’s essential duty now’s to interrupt up opposition play and hold issues ticking for Rangers once they have the ball, illustrated by the actual fact he ranks fourth within the division for passes per sport this season (77.4) and the 4 forward of him are all centre-backs. A go success charge of 90.7 per cent demonstrates he’s environment friendly in possession however he isn’t merely taking part in brief passes. A return of 6.2 lengthy balls per sport ranks third of all outfielders within the division and reveals he has a superb vary of passing to assist Rangers go from again to entrance rapidly and with precision. Defensively, Lundstram isn’t diving into challenges as proven by a return of simply 0.6 tackles per sport, however as an alternative utilizing his potential to learn the sport to interrupt up possession, as highlighted by 1.2 interceptions per sport.

Jota vs Ryan Kent

With seven aim involvements in 5 league matches, Celtic winger Jota is the highest WhoScored.com score participant within the Scottish Premiership to this point this season (8.12). The 23-year-old, who scored within the final assembly between the 2 sides, has been a nightmare for defenders this season. Jota has accomplished essentially the most dribbles (11) and created essentially the most goalscoring probabilities (15) within the division to this point this season. Not solely that, however the Celtic winger can be chargeable for 19 per cent of the by means of balls accomplished in all the division this time period (3/18). Jota’s wonderful kind truly stretches again to final season because the flip of the 12 months. A return of 13 targets and assists in that point is essentially the most of any participant within the division.

What Postecoglou will arguably worth even increased than Jota’s output is his willingness to work onerous out of possession. The former Portugal under-21 worldwide is averaging two tackles per sport this season and has received possession within the attacking third extra instances than some other participant within the Scottish Premiership (7), permitting Celtic to remain on the entrance foot in matches.

Should Jota return to the right-hand facet on Saturday, then he’ll come immediately up in opposition to Rangers’ personal creator-in-chief, Ryan Kent. The 25-year-old hasn’t made fairly as dazzling a begin to the season as his reverse quantity, however he’s simply as necessary for Rangers on the subject of breaking down an opposition defence. Kent has three assists in as many league appearances for Rangers to this point this season, averaging another regularly (each 77 minutes) than Jota (each 103 minutes). A return of three key passes per sport is just matched by Jota within the Scottish Premiership to this point this season.

Creativity is probably not sufficient from Kent on this match, nevertheless. It’s necessary to have goalscorers all around the pitch and Rangers cannot afford to solely depend on Antonio Colak as their supply of targets. The drawback for Kent is he hasn’t scored within the league since December and has solely hit the goal with six of his subsequent 46 makes an attempt on aim.

Kyogo Furuhashi vs Antonio Colak

Kyogo Furuhashi has been a revelation since becoming a member of Celtic in the beginning of 2021 and heads into the weekend’s motion as the highest scorer within the Scottish Premiership with six targets in 5 matches. Furuhashi has a powerful goalscoring report on the whole for Celtic with 14 targets in 17 league begins for the membership. The Japan worldwide has netted in opposition to seven of the 12 groups he has confronted within the Scottish Premiership however shall be on the lookout for his first Old Firm aim on Saturday.

Furuhashi could not hope to be in higher kind for the primary derby of the season having scored in every of Celtic’s final 4 matches, together with a hat-trick in final weekend’s 9-0 demolition of Dundee United. He can be the third prime WhoScored.com rated participant within the division (7.37) courtesy of his seven-goal involvements (six targets, one help) in 5 league video games for the marketing campaign.

Antonio-Mirko Colak has hit the bottom operating for Rangers since his summer season swap from Greek facet PAOK. The Croatia worldwide has scored 4 targets throughout his first 5 league matches after netting a brace in Rangers’ 4-0 win over Ross County on the weekend.

The 28-year-old faces his hardest take a look at this weekend, nevertheless, as Celtic have made an ideal begin to the season with 5 wins from 5 and just one aim conceded. Colak can be but to attain away from residence within the league for Rangers, with all 4 of his targets coming at Ibrox.