Hampden Park will be the venue for the next edition of the Old Firm as Celtic and Rangers face off in this season’s Scottish League Cup Final on Sunday, December 15th.
To preview the big game, and the fortunes of Scotland’s two most iconic football clubs, we enlisted the help of a man who is no stranger to Old Firms, former Celtic player and manager Neil Lennon. The latest Celtic vs Rangers odds at BoyleSports have The Hoops as the 1/2 favourites but how does the former Celtic boss see the game panning out?
Lennon was full of praise for this Celtic side, hailing them as the best the club has seen in a decade while he also reflected on the European adventures of the two Glasgow giants.
Old Firm League Cup Final Preview: Celtic v Rangers
Q: Can the League Cup final not come around fast enough for Celtic?
It’s exciting games for Celtic with fixtures coming thick and fast. There are games against Aberdeen, Hibs, Dinamo Zagreb and then the League Cup final.
It can be a headache for the manager to be strong on all fronts but the final will be different, Rangers have some momentum from their win over Nice but there are plenty of games to be played between now and then.
Q: What message would you give to the players, anything can happen on the day?
Between Celtic and Rangers at Hampden Park anything can happen, Celtic scored late on to win it last year and you never know how these games are going to go.
There might be some injuries or some loss in form, Rangers have had their inconsistencies, but they will have some confidence from Europe and that could make things interesting.
*Bet on Celtic v Rangers odds at BoyleSports.
Celtic’s Best Squad In A Decade
Q: Is this the best Celtic squad for a decade?
In terms of depth, this is the best Celtic squad for a decade. The players look hungry and a good example is having three central defenders in Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales who are interchangeable.
You also have Paulo Bernardo, Callum McGregor, Luke McCowan, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate in midfield. Then going forward there is Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Adam Idah and then Nicolas Kuhn out wide.
There is an abundance of talent and the strength and depth at Celtic is the best it has been for a long time.
Enigmatic Performances From Rangers Big Name Players
Q: Has Hamza Igamane laid down a marker at Rangers?
Rangers are a bit of an enigma at the moment and so is probably Hamza Igamane.
They won 4-1 in Nice and beat the Romanian champions as well as drawing at Olympiacos, their European form has been really good while the domestic form is scrappy.
That’s where Philippe Clement is at the minute and he is trying to work out those inconsistencies. It’s a similar story with Igamane. He is trying to find that run of form game in and game out.
Q: What have you made of James Tavernier at Rangers this season?
Maybe the way Rangers have been playing hasn’t helped James Tavernier compared to last year, but it’s hard to imagine a Rangers team without him.
His goal record at the club for a full-back is just incredible and he still has a huge contribution to make there.
It’s too early to write off James Tavernier, he has been written off before and came back. Not every season is going to be the same in terms of goals.
*Rangers are the 6/4 underdogs to lift the Scottish League Cup per the latest Celtic v Rangers betting at BoyleSports.
Importance of Rangers Europa League Success
Q: Has the European form of Rangers eased pressure on the manager?
Rangers' form in Europe has definitely eased pressure on Philippe Clement. It’s taken the weight off some of the domestic games and they seem to be playing with more freedom.
The fans are enjoying that run too and now it’s about finding consistency. It’s a question of him building a team that can be successful and hard to beat but they do need that consistency.
From what I gather he is there for the long term so there is no pressure in that sense, but with Celtic starting so well and creating a gap it’s not easy for fans.
They need to play with the freedom they have in Europe domestically.
Q: Can the Spurs vs Rangers game go either way?
When Spurs click on the counter-attack, they can destroy any team. That will be the danger for Rangers. They have had injury problems and their form has been very inconsistent, so it will be interesting to see the team that Ange Postecoglou puts out.
Spurs need a win after a draw against Roma so it will be an interesting match.
Celtic Can Push For Champions League Playoffs
Q: How would you rate Celtic in the Champions League so far?
Celtic have been excellent in the Champions League, of late, beating RB Leipzig and then getting a hard fought draw against Club Brugge.
They have Zagreb away, which again is a difficult tie, but then Young Boys at home which you would like to think that they could win.
That win should be enough to finish in the middle group and that would be a brilliant achievement. The point in Atalanta after beating Slovan Bratislava, fantastic.
Getting into the playoffs would be an outstanding return and something to build on in years to come. I think doing well in Europe was one of the reasons Rodgers came back and they have made inroads this season.
Q: Should Celtic fear no one in the Champions League knockout round?
Celtic should fear no one in the Champions League, the next step is to get into the playoffs and that would be a great achievement.
Then it would be about embracing the challenge of whoever is next and back yourself to beat whoever you draw and seeing what happens.
The excitement around it would be huge for Celtic and they know the fans will be there in force, they just need to get through and see what the draw brings.
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