Will Celtic give Rangers a guard of honour? Can John Kennedy strengthen claim for Celtic manager's job?; watch Celtic vs Rangers on Sunday from 11am on Sky Sports Football and Main Event; kick-off is at 12pm
Sunday 21 March 2021 23:23, UK
Rangers' first assignment as Scottish Premiership champions sees them face recently-dethroned rivals Celtic in the latest instalment of the Old Firm match this Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
Steven Gerrard's title-winners may have already ended a decade of Celtic dominance ahead of their trip to Parkhead, but plenty remains at stake for these age-old rivals.
Will Celtic give Rangers a guard of honour? Can John Kennedy stake a claim to the permanent manager's position at Parkhead? And will the game even take place? We tackle the key talking points ahead of the 423rd Old Firm meeting...
No. There were initial fears the game would not take place with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urging the clubs to do more to discourage their fans from breaching coronavirus restrictions.
Thousands of Rangers fans broke lockdown rules and gathered in Glasgow to celebrate their title success a fortnight ago. Since then, Celtic and Rangers have taken great strides to plead with fans to stay away from Celtic Park before, during and after Sunday's game.
Rangers say their fans are "fully aligned" with their stay-at-home messages, tweeting on Tuesday: "Rangers can confirm that we met with supporters' groups and key influencers this morning, in relation to the Old Firm game at Parkhead on Sunday.
"We are very pleased that our support is fully aligned on our messaging which has been underlined by both our manager and captain over the weekend. Stay at home. Stay safe. Support the NHS. Support #RangersFC."
A Celtic delegation, which included captain Scott Brown, met with health officials on Monday for a briefing on Scotland's position in the pandemic, and said: "We know it has been so difficult for our fans not being part of matches, but they have done brilliantly throughout the pandemic.
"Our supporters have been great in sticking to the guidelines, even after we have won the league and another treble, so we just need more of the same."
On Friday it was confirmed it would go ahead with a significant police presence in Glasgow. The Scottish Government have successfully liaised with police, both clubs and the football authorities.
No. Celtic will not give Scottish Premiership champions Rangers a guard of honour at Celtic Park, interim manager John Kennedy has confirmed.
Brendan Rodgers, who won two Scottish Premiership titles while in charge at Parkhead, urged his former club earlier this week to show "humility and class" by giving Glasgow rivals Rangers a guard of honour.
Speaking exclusively to Sky Sports, Kennedy said: "It is something that we have discussed. It is a subject that has been brought up and I have seen several people talking about it.
"It was the same two years ago when we were champions and if I am being honest, I don't think such a fuss was being made about it. I don't see it as a big issue."
Rangers famously refused to give Celtic a guard of honour when the two sides met at Ibrox back in 2019, with Gerrard insisting the call not to applaud the champions onto the field came from the club's hierarchy.
Then-Celtic manager Neil Lennon labelled the refusal a "break from tradition" and claimed the Hoops would have performed a guard of honour "had the shoe been on the other foot".
That said, if ever there was a time for Celtic or Rangers to give their eternal rivals a guard of honour, it would surely have been this year, with the absence of supporters making for a substantially subdued atmosphere compared to usually ferocious Old Firm meetings.
Steven Gerrard's comments in the wake of Rangers' title triumph have consistently called for standards to be maintained all the way to the finish line.
The champions have achieved their ultimate ambition of ending a decade drought for the title and, despite the disappointment of Thursday's Europa League exit, navigating the entire league campaign unbeaten is now the focus for Rangers.
While the title may be gone, Sunday's Old Firm meeting offers Celtic the chance to spoil Rangers' celebrations and potentially derail further success for their rivals before the season is up.
Rangers put their 32-game unbeaten record on the line at Parkhead on Sunday and will take a step closer to emulating Celtic's title-winning invincible side of 2016/17 if they avoid defeat.
Celtic can claim a minor victory by inflicting Rangers' first league defeat but, crucially, it would lay down a marker for next season's campaign, when they will look to bring the title back to the east end of Glasgow.
While Sunday's Old Firm match is Rangers' first assignment as champions, it also marks the start of the rebuilding job at Celtic.
It's a task which has yet to be entrusted with a manager, with caretaker John Kennedy overseeing matters at Parkhead and in contention for the role on a permanent basis.
Kieran Tierney has offered his backing of Kennedy for the full-time position, while Brendan Rodgers has called for his former assistant to be kept at the club in some capacity, be that as manager or any other role.
With speculation circling Parkhead and the potential long-term successor to Neil Lennon, Kennedy can strengthen his case that he is the man to restore Celtic to their recent glory, starting with victory in the biggest game of all.
Celtic vs Rangers will be shown live on Sunday on Sky Sports Football and Main Event from 11am; kick-off 12pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms from 8.30pm on Sunday.
