Celtic vs Rangers. Scottish Premiership.
Celtic ParkAttendance58,865.
Celtic and Rangers play their first Old Firm derby of the season - watch live on Sky Sports Football from 11am on Sunday
Sunday 2 September 2018 11:51, UK
Brendan Rodgers and Steven Gerrard will go head to head for the first time as managers when Celtic host Rangers in the Old Firm derby on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
The first meeting of the sides this season comes in the Scottish Premiership, with Rodgers having previously managed Gerrard at Liverpool between 2012 and 2015.
The Celtic manager thinks that bringing in better players is the simple answer to his former charge's early success at Rangers, with Gerrard unbeaten in 12 games since he took over at Ibrox in the summer.
He said: "There is no doubt that looking at them and analysing them, that Steven has done a very good job. He has pulled together a lot of players and they are clear in how they work.
"What is key is that they have brought in some good players. Players at a higher level which has allowed them to work in a better way.
"It is really about the players on the field and you try to organise your team to play against the opponent. For us, it is a great game to finish this phase of games. We have had two really good results at home.
"We always said we would like to finish this first phase of the season with three home wins and that will be the focus."
Both Celtic and Rangers made it through a Europa League play-off to book a spot in the group stages of the competition, and Gerrard admitted that qualification was a major lift ahead of the Old Firm derby.
"Thursday night was magnificent for everyone connected," he said. "Everyone's back in a good place. We had a little bump in the road at Motherwell late doors, and the idea was to get the good feeling back.
"We wanted to go into this game in a good place and we're going in in a good place. We are confident. It's all about recovery now and trying to get energy back in the legs and trying to freshen up mentally for the challenge on Sunday.
"It's a big game against a tough team. I obviously know the manager and the coaching staff at Celtic very well, who I respect a lot. But we are going there confident and really looking forward to the challenge."
Moussa Dembele will not feature after joining Lyon in a £19.7m deal on Friday.
Odsonne Edouard could return after missing five games through a hamstring injury.
New signings Filip Benkovic and Youssouf Mulumbu join the squad while Jack Hendry and Jozo Simunovic (both ankle) remain out along with Nir Bitton (knee). Marvin Compper and Lewis Morgan are still short of fitness.
Rangers have no fresh injuries. Joe Worrall has signed on loan from Nottingham Forest while Eros Grezda has signed a four-year contract subject to visa and international clearance.
Borna Barisic comes back in after missing the Europa League game against Ufa through ineligibility. Lassana Coulibaly (thigh) remains out along with Jamie Murphy, Graham Dorrans (both knee) and Jordan Rossiter (ankle).
Celtic are currently on their longest unbeaten streak over Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, going nine games without a loss (W7 D2).
Rangers have won just one of their last 11 league trips to Celtic Park (D4 L6), a 3-1 victory in October 2010.
Rangers have not beaten Celtic since their return to the Scottish Premiership in 2016 (D2 L6). They last beat the Hoops in the competition at Ibrox in March 2012 (3-2).
Celtic have lost three of their last eight league games, having only lost two of their previous 72 top-flight matches.
Celtic's defeat by Aberdeen in the final game of last season is their only home defeat in the league under Brendan Rodgers (W30 D9).
Since a run of three consecutive away defeats in the league in February 2017, Rangers have lost just three of their last 26 Scottish Premiership games away from home (W14 D9).
Rangers have failed to score in just two away games in the league since the start of last season; both of these occasions were at Celtic Park.
