Sunshine dey shine for Celtic Park, and di atmosphere thick as we dey set for di final Old Firm derby of di season. Both sets of fans dey ready for thunderous 90 minutes wey go decide plenty for Scottish Premiership title race.
Celtic dey second on di table, three points behind leaders Hearts, while Rangers dey third, seven points off top. Di stakes high: if Celtic lose today, dem go fall eight points behind Hearts, wey fit win title on Wednesday if dem beat Falkirk. For Rangers, defeat go mean third place and Europa League, instead of Champions League qualifying wey second place dey bring.
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill talk say: ‘We have to try and win our games. A draw’s actually probably no good to us because of di goal difference. We’re going to put our utmost energy into trying to win.’ O’Neill dey expect dis to be im last Glasgow derby, and he want to end am on high note.
Rangers boss Danny Rohl, wey dey face pressure after two straight defeats to Motherwell and Hearts, say: ‘When you are a manager of Rangers, you always go for wins, no matter when. We have to fight for every inch and be aggressive.’ Rohl admit say di season ‘not over’ despite di eight-point gap, but realistically, Rangers need miracle to win title.
Celtic don win dia last four games, dia best run since O’Neill take over in October. But di defending champions never beat Rangers in di league dis season; all three Old Firm matches don end level. O’Neill say: ‘We haven’t put in a complete 90 minute performance against dem in a while. You do that, you find a way to win, and it would bode well for di rest for di week.’
Rangers, on di other hand, don lose each of dia last two games after 16-match unbeaten run. Di team dey miss midfielder Nico Raskin due to muscle injury, and Rohl hand rare start to winger Oliver Antman. For Celtic, Luke McCowan replace Sebastian Tounekti as di only change from di team wey beat Hibernian.
Di match dey crucial for both sides. Celtic need victory to keep title hopes alive, while Rangers dey fight to avoid third place and keep Champions League dream. Di fans dey expect intense battle, with Celtic Park crowd dey roar dia team on. As one fan, Declyn, write: ‘Come on Celtic, get di win please. All I’m asking for is three points.’
Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday don say denying Celtic di title na Rangers’ trophy dis season. But O’Neill no dey listen to outside noise: ‘We’re still in there fighting with a chance and that’s all you can ask for. We have to find a way to win di game.’
Di match officials dey ready, and di players don warm up. Di decibel levels dey rise as kickoff approach. For di next 90 minutes, di title race go become clearer. Whether Celtic go close di gap or Rangers go spoil di party, one thing sure: dis Old Firm derby go be belter.
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