Rangers v Celtic late team news and line-ups as ravaged hosts face huge calls and visitors make big decision

The second Premiership Old Firm derby of the season takes place on Thursday when Rangers welcome Celtic to Ibrox.

Brendan Rodgers’ champions arrive in Govan with a healthy 14-point lead over their arch rivals and having not lost domestically all season, Celtic are favourites to prevail once again over Rangers.

The hosts’ cause is not helped, however, by an ever-growing casualty list, with a number of key players not available for the first match of 2025. Manager Philippe Clement has some major calls to make.

Rangers team news

Goalkeeper Jack Butland was ruled out on New Year’s Day when it emerged that he suffered an internal bleed in his leg. The 31-year-old Englishman required hospital treatment and confirmed on social media that he won’t be able to face Celtic. It is unclear how long he is out for.

With Jack Butland sidelined, Liam Kelly is set to play for Rangers against Celtic. | SNS Group

Butland’s absence means that his deputy Liam Kelly, 28, will make only his second appearance of the season and his Old Firm debut. Signed from Motherwell on a free transfer last summer, Kelly kept a clean sheet last month in a 1-0 win over Dundee.

Ahead of him, Rangers have further selection quandaries. Captain James Tavernier is out with a knock and centre-half John Souttar remains sidelined by a groin issue. Fellow defender Leon Balogun’s chances of making the match were described pre-match as slim due to a calf complaint, meaning that Robin Propper is the team’s only fit senior centre-half.

Dujon Sterling partnered him in central defence during a 2-2 draw with Motherwell, but with Tavernier absence, he would appear the prime choice to play at right-back. Should Balogun fail to make it and Sterling is deployed at right-back, then young defender Leon King - a peripheral figure under Clement - or Clinton Nsiala, who has yet to play for Rangers, could come in.

Left-backs Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz could also be asked to move across to right-back, but whatever the defensive configuration, Rangers are far from full strength.

Further forward, it is anticipated that Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande are set to take their place in the centre of midfield, with Nedim Bajrami in the No 10 role, flanked either side by wingers Vaclav Cerny and Ianis Hagi. Up front, the in-form Moroccan forward Hamza Igamane is expected to start as the lone striker ahead of Cyriel Dessers and Danilo.

Celtic team news

In stark contrast, Celtic boss Rodgers has an embarrassment of riches to choose from. Only veteran winger James Forrest is unavailable to him after hurting his foot in last month’s Premier Sports Cup final triumph over Rangers at Hampden.

Kasper Schmeichel will take his place in goal and it is anticipated that Auston Trusty will come in ahead of Liam Scales to play alongside his American compatriot Cameron Carter-Vickers in the centre of defence. Right-back Alistair Johnston is free of his hip complaint, while Greg Taylor’s experience of past encounters at Ibrox may get him the nod over Alex Valle at left-back.

Paulo Bernardo may get the nod in midfield for Celtic. | SNS Group

Rodgers’ biggest conundrum comes in midfield. Captain Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate are mainstays in that area of the team, but there are three players vying for last spot. Arne Engels, Paulo Bernardo and Luke McCowan will all hope to start. Bernardo was given in the nod in the cup final and given he is more defensive minded than Engels and McCowan, he could be selected once again.

In attack, Kyogo Furuhashi - the last Celtic player to score a winning goal at Ibrox - is poised to lead the line, flanked by red-hot wide forwards Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn.

Predicted Rangers v Celtic XIs

Rangers (4-2-3-1): Kelly; Yilmaz, Sterling, Propper, Jefte; Raskin, Diomande; Cerny, Bajrami, Hagi; Igamane.

Celtic (4-3-3): Schmeichel; Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor; Bernardo, McGregor, Hatate; Maeda, Furuhashi, Kuhn.

Referee: Don Robertson