Ahead of Sunday’s crucial Glasgow derby at Ibrox, it’s fair to say that it’s firmly advantage Celtic.
Perhaps that sounds premature at face value. After all, both sides have 1 win apiece over the other this season. Both sides probably feel they’re slightly better than the other given how evenly-matched things have been this season.
Yes, there’s plenty of debate over who holds the advantage heading into next weekend. Rangers, for example, probably feel as though they have the edge due to playing at Ibrox. Celtic, meanwhile, will feel the same given we’re 3 clear at the top.
But the truth is that Celtic have a lot more to be confident about than our foes, and here, we list the 3 big psychological advantages we have over them heading into the game:
1. Club unity
Rangers are absolutely all over the place internally as a football club. Their decision to play alongside Celtic in Sydney has seen the relationship between club and support fractured.
Their supporters staged a tennis ball protest at Dundee on Sunday. The club then surprisingly responded accusing them of not backing the team and calling the substantial number of fans a “small rump” intent on causing “maximum destruction”.
It’s led to plenty of more fans outraged with their club on social media. And this is bound to affect the players too. Rangers just aren’t in a good way, and that’s something Celtic can take real advantage of next weekend.
Meanwhile, the Hoops supporters are absolutely idolising Ange Postecoglou. He has us on a 31-game domestic unbeaten run, whilst there is a strong connection between the club as a whole and the support base.
There’s a combined feeling amongst everyone that we’re on the verge of something special this season. And even if supporters have gripes with how certain elements of the club is run, everyone is pulling in the same direction at the moment given the importance of this season’s league championship.
As Celtic show their unity with supporters, Rangers’ appears to be falling apart. That can only be a good thing ahead of next weekend. Imagine what us going 1-0 up will do to them.
2. Anything but a Rangers win and Celtic are firm title favourites
Here’s the real truth – Rangers need to win this and Celtic don’t. Sure, we WANT to leave Ibrox with the 3 points. It would be an absolute dream result and more or less secure us the title given we would have a 6-point lead with only 6 games remaining.
However, even a draw at Ibrox would see us come away from Govan as firm title-favourites. Our 3-point lead would remain intact whilst Rangers would likely have to win at Parkhead to see them defend their title. We all know how their last visit to Celtic Park ended up.
Even if Celtic lose, as much of a blow as that would be, it’s not the end of the world for us. We would still hold a healthy goal-difference advantage and would have another opportunity to take our lead back at Celtic Park in the final meeting between the sides.
That means that the pressure is all on Rangers to try and get a result here. If they fail to do so, watch the total meltdown that comes out of Ibrox. And the reason for that is because they’ll know that they’ve more or less conceded their title unofficially to Ange’s Hoops.
Nothing puts more pressure on a side heading into a derby than knowing it’s a must-win. Anything other than that is a huge psychological boost for Celtic.
Rangers know that.
3. The Celtic XI that bossed Rangers last time are all fit and firing
I’m fully aware we’re only at the start of an international break. This can always be subject to change closer to the fixture. However, as things stand, the Celtic XI that mauled Rangers at Parkhead are all fit to start at Ibrox.
Joe Hart, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liel Abada, and Jota will all be at Lennoxtown looking to get another solid week of training in. That leaves Josip Juranovic, Carl Starfelt, Greg Taylor, Reo Hatate, Matt O’Riley, Callum McGregor, and Giorgos Giakoumakis away with their respective international teams.
So, in short, there’s potential there for this to change. With as many 7 players from the starting XI away with their international teams, Ange Postecoglou will consistently be keeping tabs on all of them.
However, as things stand, they all head off fit, firing, and full of confidence. Given what they did to Rangers at Parkhead last time as they won the game by half-time, Rangers will be fully aware of the XI used that day.
There’s no guarantee Ange goes with the same team of course. The likes of Daizen Maeda and Tom Rogic, if fit, will almost certainly come into contention. But it’s a major psychological boost knowing that they’re all fit and ready to make an impact on the game if necessary.
Here’s hoping it stays that way when the internationals are over.
In other news, Celtic B goalkeeper Tobi Oluwayemi’s fantastic insight into first-team training sessions
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