STEVEN GERRARD has named two changes to his starting XI for this afternoon’s Old Firm derby at Parkhead, bringing Borna Barisic and Kyle Lafferty into the team.
From the side which so gloriously got past Ufa with nine men on Thursday night to qualify for the Europa League, out go Jon Flanagan and Daniel Candeias, with their places taken by the aforementioned.
That means it’s a back five for Gers of Allan McGregor in goals, and captain James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Nikola Katic and Barisic making up the back four.
In midfield, it’s Ryan Jack, who was this week called into the Scotland squad, alongside Ovie Ejaria and Scott Arfield.
Up front, Ryan Kent and Kyle Lafferty will feature either side of Alfredo Morelos, who, of course, signed a new deal yesterday, committing himself to Rangers until the summer of 2022.
On the bench for Gers are backup goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, new signing Joe Worrall, Candeias, Flanagan, Andy Halliday, Ross McCrorie and Glenn Middleton.
It’s a 12noon kick-off in the East End of Glasgow, with full coverage available outside the UK on RangersTV. Join Tom Miller and Old Firm goalscorer Andy Little for full coverage.
RANGERS: McGregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic; Jack, Arfield, Ejaria; Kent, Lafferty, Morelos.
SUBS: Foderingham, Worrall, Candeias, Flanagan, Halliday, McCrorie, Middleton.
CELTIC (4-2-3-1) Gordon; Lustig, Boyata, Ajer, Tierney; Brown, Ntcham; Forrest, Rogic, McGregor; Edouard.
Subs: Bain, Griffiths, Sinclair, Gamboa, Christie, Benkovic, Kouassi
http://www.hesgoal.com/news/33373/Celtic_vs_Rangers_FC_---_NL.html
Celtic v Rangers
posted on 2/9/18
comment by MaHeed'sNippin aka Wullie Collum (U3633)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Mighty Quinn (U4099)
posted less than a minute ago
This is out shakiest start in yonks.
Today I thought you might do it.
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Today showed how bad SG is 👍
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That’s a bit jumping to conclusions
posted on 2/9/18
comment by Miller Going for 5-5 (U9310)
posted 2 minutes ago
comment by MaHeed'sNippin aka Wullie Collum (U3633)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by The Mighty Quinn (U4099)
posted less than a minute ago
This is out shakiest start in yonks.
Today I thought you might do it.
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Today showed how bad SG is 👍
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That’s a bit jumping to conclusions
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A blind man can see it.
posted on 2/9/18
Enjoy you win Bhoys.
For once I am optimistic after an old firm defeat.
Not from the performance today, but from way Gerrard has been recruiting and building the team from the back.
We are not the finished article but I believe Gerrard will get things right and get rangers playing better. The players and squad will get more used to the demands of playing for rangers and this fixture in particular.
I am glad we actually kept all 11 players on the park for a change.
I think rangers will be more effective with a 433 and with players like choulibaly back and this new guy we signed the other day. Let's see.
posted on 2/9/18
comment by Laudrup: Tom Ediocrity (U12366)
posted 4 hours, 27 minutes ago
Facking cheated again by officials
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Same old Rangers ....always cheated; never defeated.
posted on 2/9/18
If rangers are struggling to cope with 2 games a week just now and the players looking spent already then surely that’s a concern for the next 4 months?
Worth pointing out Celtic have played the same amount of games.
Thought Rangers subs highlighted a clear lack in depth of any sort of quality. Candias and the boy Middleton who I don’t think even touched the ball
posted on 2/9/18
comment by Laudrup: Tom Ediocrity (U12366)
posted 4 hours, 28 minutes ago
comment by Tully Original (U20686)
posted less than a minute ago
Funny how the bears never said anything about a foul until greeting Gerrard started in it. Pfft.
Total and utter complete domination by Celtic. Gerrard spends millions and it's same old, same old.
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Just saw the relays with out Walker changing it
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Relays? And you have a go at other folk's typos.
You're melting down to a svelte 18 stone there.
posted on 2/9/18
comment by NNH (U10730)
posted 46 seconds ago
If rangers are struggling to cope with 2 games a week just now and the players looking spent already then surely that’s a concern for the next 4 months?
Worth pointing out Celtic have played the same amount of games.
Thought Rangers subs highlighted a clear lack in depth of any sort of quality. Candias and the boy Middleton who I don’t think even touched the ball
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I think rangers do have a lack of depth in the squad, thats cause we had a clear out.
Happy with signings made by Gerrard. Let's see how things look in a few months
posted on 2/9/18
comment by RonaldVilliers - Rangers Scotland's only ... (U21490)
posted 4 hours, 12 minutes ago
Today showed how much work still has to be done. Although had the ref done his job we would have had a lucky point.
Massive gap in quality between the sides in midfield and attacking areas.
Ntcham and Brown were very good. Ejaria played with lead boots on and should have been hooked. Arfield is schite and has been a massive let down since arriving. Thought Lafferty and Morelos were poor today although starved of service when they did get it they didn’t do enough. Coulibaly was a huge miss.
The manager set up too negatively we’ve been much better pressing, twice he’s moved from the 4-3-3 and twice we’ve struggled. Still feeling more positive as a Gers fan than the last few seasons.
We’ve a decent base for a squad to challenge. The problem now is getting the money to add high quality players to bring us up to Celtic’s quality. Really need a classy midfielder like a Ntcham or Pedro Mendes.
Well done on your 3 pts courtesy of Willie Collumwe were out played for most of it though so deserved in the end.
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Had the ref done his job Lafferty, MacGregor and Morelos would have walked.
The first 2 in the 1st half.
posted on 3/9/18
Fair play to the mainly congratulatory comments from the decent guys on here. It must be difficult, even after such a lengthy period of time, so a genuine well done to you for being so magnanimous in defeat.
posted on 3/9/18
comment by Blue Heaven (U20912)
posted 21 hours, 13 minutes ago
Not sure this is Ejaria's game.
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What? Football?