Michael Stewart outlines why Celtic have an advantage over Rangers ahead of Premier Sports Cup final

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Celtic are well into their run of crunch fixtures and their Premier Sports Cup final against Rangers at Hampden will soon crop up on the horizon.

Firstly, the Bhoys need to take care of Aberdeen at Pittodrie before clashes against Hibernian and Dinamo Zagreb set the scene for the first offering of silverware this term.

Marching on through the rounds, Celtic have knocked out David Gray’s side alongside Falkirk and Aberdeen, putting themselves in an encouraging position to claim another trophy under Brendan Rodgers.

Nevertheless, cup finals always carry added jeopardy. The Hoops saw off Rangers 3-0 back in September, but Hampden affairs are often tighter, and small margins usually determine the end result.

With anticipation growing ahead of the clash, Michael Stewart has noted one advantage that could play into Celtic’s hand in the lead-up to the clash against their arch-rivals.

Michael Stewart on the cup final advantage Celtic have inherited

Speaking on the Scottish Football Social Club, Stewart rightfully pointed out that Celtic have two extra days to prepare for the Premier Sports Cup final in comparison to Rangers.

The Bhoys face Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League at 5.45 pm, while their rivals take on Tottenham Hotspur in the late kick-off on the Thursday evening.

He explained: “I just think it’s a really fascinating conundrum. Not a big squad (Rangers), or not a big enough squad, coming up against top quality opposition with that extra bit of needle, not needle, but the extra dynamic of Ange Postecoglou going back to Ibrox and everything that entails.”  

“With this cup final three days later. Obviously, Celtic have got a European tie, but they’ve got two extra days, it’s two days before against Dinamo Zagreb, which with the greatest of respect to Dinamo Zagreb, it’s not as difficult a tie as Spurs. They’ve got a bigger squad.”

Celtic have fixtures to take care of before Rangers cup final

While the excitement of competing against your rivals for silverware is tantalising, the Bhoys have plenty of fixtures to crack on with before their trip to Hampden.

Everyone knows the importance of Celtic seeing off Aberdeen at Pittodrie tomorrow, which would see the reigning champions move seven points clear of the Dons having played a game less.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	CelticCeltic	13	12	1	0	40	4	36	37
2	AberdeenAberdeen	14	10	3	1	29	16	13	33
3	RangersRangers	13	8	2	3	18	9	9	26
4	Dundee UtdDundee Utd	14	6	5	3	21	14	7	23

Rangers are also lurking in the distance in case there is any drop-off, so there is no room for Rodgers’ men to let up on a night that carries significance.

Once their excursion in the North East concludes, meetings with Hibernian and Dinamo Zagreb take immediate priority. Supporters can get excited, but the manager will take it one game at a time.