Rangers vs Celtic: Old Firm Clash in Scottish League Cup Quarter-Finals

Rangers and Celtic collide in the first Old Firm of the season on Sunday, with a place in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals at stake and a simmering narrative already in place.

Last year’s campaign in Scotland crackled from start to finish, a three-way title race that gripped the country. Celtic held their nerve when it mattered, emerging with a Premiership and Scottish Cup double and reminding everyone who still sets the standard.

Rangers, stung by that outcome, ripped up the script in the summer. Derek McInnes arrived from Hearts to reshape a squad and a club that had lost its way. His start, though, was brutal. A European exit brought instant scrutiny, the kind of pressure that can swallow a new manager whole at Ibrox.

He has steadied it. Four straight Premiership wins have calmed the noise and restored some belief in the stands. Now comes the real examination. Beat Celtic, reach a semi-final, and McInnes buys himself time, authority and momentum in one afternoon.

On the other side of the city, Martin O’Neill’s Celtic are chasing a different kind of correction. They lost the League Cup last season in a shock defeat to St Mirren under Wilfried Nancy, a result that still irritates around Lennoxtown. This competition is a chance to reclaim a piece of domestic dominance they feel should never have slipped.

The backdrop on Sunday will be fierce but one-sided. After the chaos the last time Rangers hosted Celtic – that Scottish Cup quarter-final marred by trouble – there will be no away fans inside Ibrox. No pocket of green and white in a corner, no roar when Celtic break forward. Just a wall of Rangers noise and a test of Celtic’s composure in hostile territory.

When and where

The Scottish League Cup quarter-final kicks off at Ibrox at 12pm BST on Sunday 13 September.

How to watch

The match will be shown live on Premier Sports 1 and via the Premier Sports Player.

Team news

Rangers walk into this Old Firm patched up in key areas. Captain Lawrence Shankland is out for months with a hamstring tear, a major blow for McInnes both on the pitch and in the dressing room. Striker Youssef Chermiti is already sidelined with a hamstring injury of his own, stripping Rangers of another focal point in attack.

New signing Daisuke Yokota also misses out with a hamstring problem, while left back Tuur Rommens is edging closer to a return but will not be ready in time for Sunday. McInnes will again lean on those who have carried the recent league run.

Celtic’s medical bulletin offers more encouragement. Record signing Kasper Hogh made his return in the 1-0 win at St Johnstone, a significant step as O’Neill looks to sharpen his attacking options. Kieran Tierney is nearing a comeback and could be involved in some capacity at Ibrox if he comes through the final checks.

O’Neill rotated in midweek, handing a debut to goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and resting Viljami Sinisalo. Cameron Carter-Vickers, left out entirely on Wednesday, is expected to be available, bolstering Celtic’s back line for the biggest domestic test of the season so far.

Predicted Rangers XI

Rangers XI: Pandur; Sterling, Fernandez, Makhanya, Penrice; Raskin, Devlin; Curtis, Kim, Gassama; Naderi

No away fans. A manager under early scrutiny. A champion looking to reassert its grip on every domestic trophy. For both clubs, this is more than a quarter-final – it’s an early verdict on where this season is really heading.