TipResumen

INTRODUCTION

This is not just an Old Firm game but it is Rodgers versus Gerrard. It can also be labelled as "mentor versus student" or simply put the former Manager and Captain of Liverpool go head to head with each other. Gerrard might be a rookie, but he's been formidable. He has gone about systematically addressing all that is not right with the team over the past few years. For Steven Gerrard, it will be his first Old Firm game. However, for Brendan Rodgers, his former manager at Liverpool, it will be his 12th. In that time, Rodgers' Celtic have won nine and drawn two. Last season they met a total of five times and Celtic was 14-2 in front. The season before it was 16-4.



CELTIC

It remains to be seen if this season it is the same Celtic side that are capable of raising their game and battering their visitors in the style of before? Somehow Rodgers side are a little flat now, and they have also been flat at various times last season as well, but they tend to rise to the occasion when playing at home to rise to the occasion and deliver some great stuff when they are needed to. It is clear that Rodgers has not been happy at the Celtic board over a lack of signings, and also taken a swipe at his defenders over their lack of hunger and pride. He was clearly not happy when they only managed a 1-1 draw with Suduva in Lithuania last week. They are out of the Champions League and also after defeats to AEK Athens, a loss to Hearts and a banner in the crowd before Sunday's game against Hamilton Accies stating that one of his players - Dedryck Boyata is unfit to wear the jersey will no doubt make Rodgers have a lot to think before this match. Also because of his relentless success, Rodgers has spent two seasons having to deal with the media, and lately the questions have been much more difficult to take in. What is certain is that it will depend on how they react and play against Rangers, most importantly, how he comes up against this Rangers manager in Steven Gerrard than any of the 11 Rangers teams and the three Rangers managers he has faced before.



RANGERS

No doubt that Gerrard has brought energy and confidence and authority in to the Rangers side. Even though it is still early into the season but Rangers look hungrier and more durable. Interestingly most of Gerrard's signing this season are contributing to the team. He has taken the team from last season and very much dismantled it. The likes of Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic didn't have the best of days in the 3-3 draw with Motherwell on Sunday, but they have been excellent otherwise. Also the Rangers side that played against Croatia's Osijek in the Europa League had seven new players in the starting eleven. The team that beat Slovenia's Maribor in the following round had eight new players. Interestingly, Rangers are unbeaten in 11 games under Gerrard before Thursday's Europa play-off against Ufa in Russia in which it ended 1-1 and they qualified for the group stage. Last season after 11 games they already suffered defeats to Celtic, Hibs and Progres Niederkorn, the fourth best team in Luxembourg. This season they are unbeaten after 11 games and that is their best run since they were in the Championship in 2016.



PAST MEETINGS

Celtic has in recent times dominated the meetings between the two sides and last season in five meetings Celtic won and scored 14 goals and conceded only 2. The season before that it was 16 goals scored and conceded 4