RANGERS and Celtic will meet in the first Glasgow derby of the season today, with both clubs looking to bounce back after embarrassing Champions League exits in midweek.
Celtic failed to score during 210 minutes of football against Kazakh side Kairat Almaty before losing on penalties in their playoff on Tuesday.
Twenty-four hours later, Rangers' hopes of overturning a 3-1 home defeat to Club Brugge were all but over after 10 minutes in Belgium when they found themselves a goal down and reduced to 10 men.
The hosts went on to score six goals in total in a 9-1 aggregate win.
Celtic have started the domestic season in better form than their rivals but Rangers, who last lost to Celtic at Ibrox in September 2023, have home advantage.
The hosts will also be boosted by the arrival of former Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski, while Celtic are stuck in a transfer merry-go-round a day before the window closes.
For Celtic, a failure to win could see Brendan Rodgers become the first Celtic manager to fail to win four consecutive derbies since Gordon Strachan in 2008.
For Russell Martin, the stakes are much higher, with even a draw leaving Rangers winless in the league and six points behind Celtic after a torrid start to his reign.
When and where
The game will kick-off at Rangers' Ibrox ground at 12pm (GMT+1) today, Sunday, August 31.
Form
Both sides suffered humiliating European exits in midweek, meaning Scotland will have no representation in the Champions League this season.
Celtic lost on penalties to Kairat, a team more than 250 places below them in the UEFA rankings, after failing to score over two legs and extra time.
Rangers came through two qualifying ties against Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen but looked vulnerable in defence with both opponents spurning numerous chances to punish the Glasgow side.
Those defensive frailties were eventually exploited by Brugge, who put nine past Rangers over two legs and could have had more if not for keeper Jack Butland.
Domestically, Celtic have started well with four wins from four, scoring 10 and conceding just once in a 4-1 League Cup win over Falkirk.
However, they have at times looked flat and unconvincing, including in the late 1-0 win over St Mirren in the opening game of the season and in the first half of the eventual 3-0 win over Livingston last week.
Last season's top scorer, Daizen Maeda, has found the net just once this term, while second-top scorer Nicolas Kühn has left the club.
Behind those two, Adam Idah managed 20 goals last season but has yet to find the net this term.
The Irish striker is also at the centre of a transfer wrangle, with Celtic halting a proposed move to Swansea over their failure to so far sign a replacement.
The Hoops are eyeing Anderlecht's Kasper Dolberg as a new front man but the Belgian side are also reportedly holding out until they sign a new striker themselves.
Cyriel Dessers of Rangers and Celtic’s Adam during the 1-1 draw at Ibrox in May (Image: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images)Rangers have at least got their man in time for the derby with Miovski arriving to replace Hamza Igamane.
The Morocco striker's departure could be as much a boost as Miovski's arrival after his refusal to come off the bench at St Mirren last week threatened to undermine boss Martin.
However, while their transfer business is going to plan, they have been poor on the field.
They have yet to win a league game or keep a clean sheet domestically after three 1-1 draws in the Premiership and conceding two in a 4-2 win at home to League One side Alloa in the League Cup.
Similar to Celtic, their top scorer last season, Cyriel Dessers, has scored just once this season, while second top scorer, Václav Černý, is no longer at the club, having returned to parent club Wolfsburg.
Odds
Paddy Power have visitors Celtic as 3/4 favourites, with a draw and a Rangers victory both priced at 14/5.
Injuries
Jota remains a long-term injury absentee for Celtic, while central defender Auston Trusty is out with a heel injury.
Right-back Alistair Johnston is out for a few months with a hamstring injury while his understudy, Anthony Ralston, only returned to training yesterday after suffering a knock against Almaty.
Dujon Sterling remains the only long-term injury absentee for Rangers, although reports linking Nicolas Raskin away from the club could see him omitted from the squad.
Max Aarons is available for the domestic clash after his red card against Brugge in the Champions League.
Mioski could make his Rangers debut, while forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha and left-back Marcelo Saracchi could feature for Celtic after arriving this week.
How to watch
In Ireland and Britain, the game will be shown on Sky Sports, with coverage starting at 11am (GMT+1).
Viewers in the US can watch the game on the CBS Sports Network.
