Rangers games don’t come much bigger than needing to beat Celtic on their own patch to have any chance of winning the Scottish Premiership.
Philippe Clement believes in his squad, but with so many injuries, it will be a tough task to get the job done.
With numbers limited, this is who Rangers have gone with to face Celtic, in a game that could go down in history or be one that fans want to forget immediately.
Celtic v Rangers confirmed team news, who starts?
When Rangers saw off Kilmarnock, Ridvan Yilmaz made a welcome return to the first-team and Ben Davies played his first minutes of 2024.
Normally, Clement wouldn’t risk them, but his pre-match press conference gave an insight into his thinking when asked if they were ready to start:
“I cannot give my starting 11, that would be too easy. That was a smart question!
It’s always a decision with the medical and performance staff with players who haven’t played for a long time coming out of injury.
“What is the best way short and long term?
“These decisions are made together. They make decisions about minutes and I decide if they start or come on. I always stick to those numbers as it is a story together.
“Maybe at one moment you need to take more risk, we will see if that moment comes.”
Clement has decided that it is too big a risk to play Ridvan but has no other choice in the middle.
Ben Davies is the only other fit senior centre-half with game time under his belt.
He might be a bit rusty, however, he at least plays in a position that isn’t quite as demanding physically – mentally, he will have to be 100% though.
John Souttar will be happier on his more natural side and the defence as a whole looks more balanced.
Borna Barisic will have to be a lot braver than he has been on recent trips to Parkhead.
You would have thought that the midfield almost picked itself and it is here where the game will be won and lost.
John Lundstram will have to raise his game from previous derbies his season, and Tom Lawrence will have to prove that he deserves to take Todd Cantwell’s place.
Mohamed Diomande must go flat out for 90 minutes, he can’t just drift in and out of the game, regardless of whether or not Rangers have possession.
The same goes for Lawrence.
These are the games he was signed for and there wouldn’t be a better time to dominate an Old Firm.
Clement names his team to turn title race on its head
Injuries leave Philippe Clement with little choice in the forward line other than to go with what he has in recent weeks and this is his team for Parkhead:
Fabio Silva should be confident after scoring against Kilmarnock and Dujon Sterling’s pace and physicality could cause Celtic problems.
As for Cyriel Dessers, Rangers number nines are rated on their goals and especially their goals against Celtic.
With two goals disallowed and a 1v1 butchered in his previous three derbies, now is the time for him to make his mark and prove the doubters wrong.
Win, and it’s game on, lose, and it’s game over.
