Digressive Celts

Matches › 2026/27

Rangers v Celtic

Sunday 3 January 2027, 12:00 · Ibrox Stadium · Round 22

Forecast

RangersCeltic
Expected goals1.441.44
Win37%37%
Expected Points1.371.37
Clean sheet24%24%

Rangers 37%Draw 26%Celtic 37%

Most likely score 1–1, 12%. Both sides score 59%.

Celtic goalsRangers goals0123456+0123456+6%8%6%3%1%8%8%4%1%6%8%6%3%1%3%4%3%1%1%1%1%12%

From the forecast as it stood on 18 October 2026: each side's attack and defence ratings in a Dixon–Coles score model, as on the Forecasts page. How the forecasts work.

Form

Rangers

  1. D2–217 OctDundee FC (A)xG 1.80–1.77
  2. W3–110 OctKilmarnock (H)xG 1.42–1.15
  3. W1–020 SepCeltic (A)xG 1.81–0.39
  4. W1–09 SepSt. Mirren (H)xG 2.49–1.26
  5. W1–05 SepMotherwell (H)xG 4.29–0.70
  6. W2–12 SepFalkirk (A)xG 1.57–1.00

Celtic

  1. W7–118 OctHearts (H)xG 4.23–1.20
  2. W2–011 OctMotherwell (A)xG 2.85–1.10
  3. L0–120 SepRangers (H)xG 0.39–1.81
  4. W1–09 SepSt. Johnstone (A)xG 1.80–0.69
  5. W2–15 SepSt. Mirren (A)xG 3.19–1.95
  6. W3–02 SepAberdeen (H)xG 2.67–0.68

The last six league matches, newest first, with xG for and against.

Season to date

RangersCeltic
Position2nd1st
Played99
Won, drawn, lost6–⁠2–⁠18–⁠0–⁠1
Points20 (2.22 per game)24 (2.67 per game)
Expected Points per game1.982.31
Goals13–⁠723–⁠5
xG per game2.13–⁠1.102.93–⁠1.05
Home: points, xG per game2.25, 2.60–⁠1.202.40, 2.60–⁠0.95
Away: points, xG per game2.20, 1.75–⁠1.033.00, 3.33–⁠1.18
ManagerDerek McInnes (9)Martin O'Neill (27)

League matches this season before kick-off. The manager's number is league matches in charge since 2020/21.

Ratings

0.51.01.52.02.5League average 1.35AttackRangers1.90, 2ndCeltic2.17, 1stDefence (lower is better)Rangers1.00, 2ndCeltic0.88, 1st

This season

Attack0.51.01.52.02.5AugSepOctRangers attack: 1.90Celtic attack: 2.172.171.90CelticRangersDefence (lower is better)0.51.01.52.02.5AugSepOctRangers defence: 1.00Celtic defence: 0.881.000.88

The goals each side would score (attack) and concede (defence) per game against an average team, from the forecast ratings before this matchday, with their rank among the league's clubs; a lower defence number is better. Grey dots are the other clubs, spread up and down only so they don't overlap.

Strengths and weaknesses

RangersCeltic
CreatedConcededCreatedConceded
Open play+41%−42%+121%−48%
Counter-attacks+8%+3%+195%−35%
Set pieces+29%−16%−8%+5%
Penalties+14%−43%−100%−43%
Headers+26%−26%+164%−27%
Left side+14%−22%+159%−62%
Centre+56%−28%+87%−13%
Right side+18%−41%+61%−42%

xG created and conceded per game against the league average this season: +24% is 24% more than an average side. Left and right are each side's own, so chances conceded on its left come from opponents attacking down their right. Green favours the side and amber doesn't.

Matchups

Rangers attacking

Rangers createdCeltic concededLeft side+14%−42%Centre+56%−13%Right side+18%−62%Open play+41%−48%Counter-attacks+8%−35%Set pieces+29%+5%Headers+26%−27%

Celtic attacking

Celtic createdRangers concededLeft side+159%−41%Centre+87%−28%Right side+61%−22%Open play+121%−42%Counter-attacks+195%+3%Set pieces−8%−16%Headers+164%−26%

Each side's xG created per game down each side of the pitch, through the centre, and from each type of chance, against what its opponent concedes there, both relative to the league average.

Season averages

RangersCeltic

2.13xG2.93
1.10xG against1.05
55%Possession60%
20.2Shots20.3
9.6Shots against11.9
6.6Shots on target9.2
2.8Big chances5.2
38.4Touches in the opposition box38.2
452Passes605
80%Pass accuracy88%
7.2Corners9.0
60%Field tilt68%
47.5Final-third entries62.3
18.6Box entries24.5
11.4Passes per defensive action13.0

Per league match this season before kick-off. Field tilt, entries, and passes per defensive action cover 8 and 8 of those matches.

Game state this season

Rangers

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level472.071.41
Ahead321.950.74
Behind112.910.83

Celtic

StateMinutes per gamexG per 90xG against per 90
Level242.231.23
Ahead573.340.98
Behind102.161.05

xG by period

Rangers

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.310.193–1
16–300.430.131–0
31–450.420.323–3
46–600.340.152–0
61–750.290.191–1
76–900.330.143–2

Celtic

MinutesxG per gamexG againstGoals
1–150.400.126–0
16–300.400.251–1
31–450.710.247–2
46–600.570.076–1
61–750.310.202–1
76–900.540.161–0

Per game this season, with stoppage time counted in its half; goals are totals for and against.

Most used players by position

Rangers

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTPandur 9Sterling 7Makhanya 1Nedeljković 1Fernandez 9Godfrey 1Makhanya 7Rommens 1Penrice 7Rommens 1Chermiti 1Raskin 7Devlin 3Dragojevic 1Neil 6Diomande 1Curtis 3Bouanani 2Kim 2Kim 4Naderi 3Devlin 1Gassama 8Curtis 1Shankland 5Kelsy 3Naderi 14-2-3-1 in 6 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (6), 4-1-4-1 (1), 4-4-1-1 (1), 3-5-2 (1)

Celtic

GKRBCBCBLBDMDMRWAMLWSTSinisalo 8Johnstone 1Donovan 6Johnston 2Carter-Vickers 1Carter-Vickers 5Murray 3Trusty 6Scales 4Tierney 6Scales 3McGregor 8Baur 6Oxlade-Chamberlain 2Engels 2Hassan 5Durán 3McCowan 1Nygren 7Donovan 1Sørensen 1Yang 5Tounekti 2Nygren 1Durán 5Høgh 44-2-3-1 in 7 of 9 starts

Formations: 4-2-3-1 (7), 3-4-3 (1), 4-1-4-1 (1)

This season's most used formation, with up to three players who started most often in each position and their league starts there. Underneath, when a side has used more than one, every formation with its starts.

Head to head

DateHomeAwayxG
20 September 2026Celtic0–1RangersxG 0.39–1.81
10 May 2026Celtic3–1RangersxG 1.08–0.94
1 March 2026Rangers2–2CelticxG 1.44–3.82
3 January 2026Celtic1–3RangersxG 2.34–1.44
31 August 2025Rangers0–0CelticxG 0.15–0.19
4 May 2025Rangers1–1CelticxG 1.46–1.10

25 league meetings since 2020/21: Rangers won 9, Celtic won 9, and 7 were drawn. Goals 37–37 and xG 1.21–1.38 per game.

Key players

Rangers

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Naderi5546410.650.15
Kim6487000.400.13
Gassama8646020.310.17
Raskin7595100.190.11

Celtic

PlayerStartsMinGAxG per 90xA per 90
Nygren8654630.730.23
Durán8591550.560.33
Tierney6459130.310.44
Baur6550100.290.19

Up to four players a side with the most xG plus xA per 90 minutes, from those with at least 450 league minutes.