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Rangers vs Celtic: What's at stake in final Old Firm clash of season?

Rangers vs Celtic is live on Sky Sports Main Event from 11.30am on Sunday; Kick-off is at midday

Scott Brown and Alfredo Morelos in the Old Firm
Image: Scott Brown and Alfredo Morelos meet again on Sunday as Rangers face Celtic, live on Sky Sports

It's the final Old Firm clash of the season on Sunday, live on Sky Sports, as Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox.

The Scottish Premiership title has already been won by Celtic while Rangers are guaranteed to end the season as runners-up - their best top-flight finish since 2011/12.

But although there's no silverware up for grabs, there is still plenty to look out for on Sunday. From Neil Lennon's future to Rangers closing the gap and the guard of honour debate, we pick out some of the talking points…

Have Rangers made the right call?

Steven Gerrard has confirmed Rangers won't be giving a guard of honour to the champions.

Gerrard said it was a decision made by the club and it is one that Celtic's Callum McGregor appeared to dismiss. "We know we deserve to be champions and how hard it is to do it every season. That's enough for us. We don't need anyone else to pat us on the back."

However, former Rangers striker Kris Boyd thinks the hosts should give Celtic a guard of honour.

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Celtic's Callum McGregor says Celtic are 'not fussed' whether or not Rangers perform a guard of honour, and that being champions is all that matters

"Rangers would make a statement about what type of club they are if they do it," said Boyd. "At the end of the day, they might be your rivals, but they have won the league. Pay them the respect they deserve.

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"I get the view of the fans. Asking why you would want to clap your rivals on to the pitch. But be the bigger man, as such, and do what's right. They have won the league, they are the champions so, for me, why would you not?

"I understand fans might be frustrated, but it's not the end of the world if you clap someone going on to a pitch."

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What would a win mean for Neil Lennon?

In terms of results, Neil Lennon could not have done much more since returning to Celtic in late February. Celtic are undefeated since Lennon took charge - winning eight and drawing three of his 11 games - and have clinched their eighth successive league title and reached the Scottish Cup final.

But is he going to get the chance to finish the job he started and try and lead Celtic to 10 league titles in a row?

Celtic manager Neil Lennon ahead of the game against Rangers
Image: Celtic manager Neil Lennon signed a deal until the end of the season

Lennon is under contract until the end of the season and has admitted his "life is on hold" at the moment as he focuses all his attentions on Celtic, who have stuttered somewhat towards the title in recent weeks with draws against Livingston and Hibernian.

Former Rangers manager Graeme Souness says Celtic would be "crazy" to not offer Lennon a contract as permanent manager, but it has been reported that they have approached Jose Mourinho about the role.

Surely an Old Firm win and victory over Hearts in the Scottish Cup final would ensure Lennon gets the chance to continue.

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Graeme Souness says Celtic would be crazy if they do not give the manager's job permanently to Neil Lennon

Have Rangers closed the gap?

They have won one and lost two of the Old Firm clashes so far this season, but victory on Sunday would not only give Rangers the chance to level the score but also ensure they cut Celtic's lead at the top of the table to six points.

Rangers finished 12 points behind Celtic last season while Aberdeen were nine points behind, making them the closest challengers in the last eight years of Celtic dominance.

A win on Sunday won't change the standings, but Rangers assistant Gary McAllister thinks it could be a boost heading into the summer.

James Forrest celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic against Rangers
Image: James Forrest celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic against Rangers in March

"If we finish the season pulling away from Aberdeen and close the gap on Celtic a little bit, that would be a plus for us.

"If we can finish with two good performances and get two positive results, that would give us a big high going into the summer. The players would go away feeling good about themselves. Then it is up to us as coaches to bolster the squad."

Speaking of which…

A summer of change ahead?

There could be changes aplenty across both sides of Glasgow this summer.

It's widely accepted that Rangers need to bolster their squad, with former manager Souness saying recently that Gerrard's side "lack a bit of quality".

"He needs a few quid to spend because he's not too far away from catching Celtic," added Souness.

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Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has confirmed Celtic will not be given a guard of honour at Ibrox

Whether Gerrard gets money to spend remains to be seen. He was on a scouting mission in France last week and was pictured with Rennes defender Edson Mexer. Gerrard says a move is unlikely to happen but did concede Rangers are "looking for centre-backs".

They will certainly be looking to strengthen in other areas, while Celtic might also be busy in the window as they have a number of players coming to the end of their deals.

Jeremy Toljan insists Scottish football needs to listen to
complaints about plastic pitches.
Image: On-loan defender Jeremy Toljan will head back to Borussia Dortmund in the summer

Dedryck Boyata and Mikael Lustig are among those set to depart while on-loan quartet Filip Benkovic, Jeremy Toljan, Oliver Burke and Timothy Weah will be heading back to their parent clubs.

Is this a chance to take a look at some players who will be around next season in a testing environment? Or is winning against your fiercest rivals more important? The players utilised at Ibrox might give some clues towards both managers' plans for next season.

Will Rangers keep their cool?

Rangers have made progress this season under Gerrard, but they might have made even more were it not for their terrible disciplinary record.

They have picked up 12 red cards this season, the latest described by Gerrard as a "crazy moment that's difficult to defend" after goalkeeper Allan McGregor was sent off for kicking Hibernian's Marc McNulty in the back last weekend.

Having seen two players shown red cards in the last Old Firm game in March, Gerrard says he is "running out of ideas" over how to improve his team's disciplinary record.

But this is another opportunity for Rangers to try and find a solution.

How to watch Old Firm clash

Rangers vs Celtic is live on Sky Sports Main Event from 11.30am on Sunday. Kick-off is at midday

Sky Sports subscribers can stream games via the Sky Sports app or the Sky Go app.

Non-subscribers can watch through NOW TV. A Sky Sports day pass is available for £8.99, a week pass for £14.99 or a month pass for £33.99. NOW TV can be streamed through a computer or apps.

If you can't watch live then you can also follow the action with our live blogs on www.skysports.com and the Sky Sports app.

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