The final Glasgow derby of the season on Sunday will be James Tavernier’s final bow in this fixture.
It’s a crying shame because the Rangers captain has provided Celtic fans with many memorable moments, as Daizen Maeda can testify.
On Bank Holiday Monday, Rangers were beaten by Hearts at Tynecastle, which has all but ended their chances of winning the title.
Both of Hearts’ goals came in the second half, and Celtic hero Chris Sutton called out Tavernier in the most brutal of ways for his defending during the game.
“The finish from Kingsley is excellent, but look at the Rangers captain,” said Sutton. “That sums him up, his time as a Rangers captain.
“He has a heart the size of a pea. He really does.”
Would you start Daizen Maeda on the left against Rangers?
Tavernier had a torrid time against Hearts
Celtic hero publicly humiliates Rangers captain James Tavernier
For weeks, fans have been calling for Kelechi Iheanacho to start, given his continued goalscoring success from the bench.
That was proven once again when Celtic beat Hibernian over the weekend at Easter Road.
So, if Martin O’Neill does decide to move Maeda to the left, then he does have a more than viable option in Iheanacho to start down the middle.
Either way, Sutton didn’t hold back in calling out the man with the Rangers armband, and how he has ‘a heart the size of a pea’, as he told Sky Sports.
“The finish from Kingsley is excellent, but look at the Rangers captain,” said Sutton. “That sums him up, his time as a Rangers captain.
“He has a heart the size of a pea. He really does. He is bad on both goals. He should react. He should try to smell the danger and block it. He doesn’t. He is so lax there; he has killed his team.”
Maeda’s record against Rangers
As mentioned above, this Sunday will be Tavernier’s final game against Celtic, because he is leaving Rangers at the end of the season.
It could also be the last bow for Maeda, given the noise around his future last summer, and how Celtic are expected to clear house once this campaign ends.
But could the Japan star, who has found his goalscoring form at the right time, put the Gers to the sword once again, because his record against them is strong?!
- Maeda’s games vs Rangers: 25
- Wins: 14
- Draws: 5
- Losses: 6
- Goals: 5
- Assists: 5
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