It’s a huge weekend of Scottish Cup and Premiership action with the Old Firm taking centre stage on Sunday
Saturday Jury
12:00, 07 Mar 2026Updated 12:52, 07 Mar 2026
Rangers v Celtic – Scottish Cup Glasgow derby previewShould Danny Rohl stick with his 4-2-2-2 system against Celtic in the cup tie or shore up his midfield?
SCOTT McDERMOTT: Not necessarily. Rohl might consider a 4-3-1-2. He’d need to drop Andreas Skov Olsen but this would allow him a tighter, flat midfield three which includes Mo Diomande. Then he could play Mikey Moore in behind a front two of Youssef Chermiti and Ryan Naderi.
MICHAEL GANNON: If he sticks with it then he’ll need his side to be out of sight early, as they don’t have the gas to maintain it for 90 minutes. He might be more cagey with his setup this time.
ANDY NEWPORT: Yes but only if he can stress to Nico Raskin the importance of keeping his positioning and his composure in the centre of the park. When the Belgian gets caught up in the emotion of the game, he tends to wander, but Sunday is an occasion that demands cool heads in the heat of battle.
GAVIN BERRY: Sticks with the original formation. The game plan must be the same as seven days ago with a fast and aggressive start. He just has to ensure there is no repeat of the drop off that came in the second half. Danny Rohl doesn’t have the players to control the game for 90 minutes.
Rangers and Celtic players walk out at Ibrox
Who starts up front for Celtic on Sunday and why?
SCOTT: It has to be Daizen Maeda. Junior Adamu and Tomas Cvancara don’t look up to it and – although he’s not at his best – the Japanese attacker still scares the life out of Rangers defenders with his pace and pressing.
MICHAEL: Daizen Maeda. Celtic don’t have much up top but the Japanese frontman does allow them to get the ball down rather than fall into the trap of going long to Cvancara or Adamu. Maeda desperately needs to find his shooting boots though.
ANDY: Maeda. Neither Cvancara nor Adamu are anywhere near good enough to be Celtic strikers and by shunting Maeda inside, it means Tounekti can offer a threat cutting in from the left.
GAVIN: Maeda is probably the man. Martin O’Neill’s options are just so limited but Celtic improved when he moved more central at Ibrox last Sunday. He looked like the confidence-sapped player is at Pittodrie in midweek but the alternatives aren’t much better.
Can Dunfermline and Neil Lennon pull off a shock by putting out Scottish Cup holders Aberdeen?
SCOTT: It would probably be more of a shock if Aberdeen turn up in Fife and secure a comprehensive victory, which they should be doing given the budgets involved with both squads. Lennon will fancy this and it’s a golden chance for the Pars to reach a semi-final.
MICHAEL: Would it really be a shock? Aberdeen have been dire this season and are there for the taking.
Dunfermline’s Chris Kane and Aberdeen’s Kristers Tobers in action
Lenny will really fancy this one and you wouldn’t put it past the Pars.
ANDY: Let’s be honest, with the way Aberdeen are playing it wouldn’t be much of a shock. The Dons are in dire straits and Lennon’s Pars must be champing at the bit to get after them. Having beaten Hibs previously, they’ve proved they are certainly no mugs.
GAVIN: This quarter final tie has ‘shock’ written all over it. Packed stadium, Saturday night under the lights, a shrewd manager in charge of the underdogs and the favourites low in confidence. Odds of 3/1 are very generous for the Pars.
If Motherwell rack up another win at Dundee, are they genuine title contenders?
SCOTT: They have to be as no-one looks like beating them. Well’s clean sheet record is phenomenal and the job Jens Berthel Askou is doing is unprecedented. Their game at Celtic Park next weekend will be absolutely pivotal.
MICHAEL: It’s been an incredible season at Fir Park and they are right in the mix. But they might not have enough games to make up the ground for a proper title tilt. Europe is firmly on the horizon though.
ANDY: Yes, they’d only be two points off second and if we’re talking about Celtic and Rangers still being in the chase, you have to include the Steelmen. And let’s hope they do because it will only add another thrilling dimension to what is turning out to be the most dramatic of finales.
GAVIN: No. They have too much to do. As much as I’m a huge admirer of what they’ve done this season – it’s been staggering – we need to be realistic. Celtic and Rangers fans are basically saying if their team loses another game they’re out of it. So how can Motherwell be in it when they are further back, even if they beat Dundee. They would need to put together an unbelievable winning run and hope all three stumble. It just won’t happen.