A word of warning Rangers; the Celtic side who will travel to Ibrox on Sunday is ‘stronger’ than the one which defeated their Old Firm rivals during their previous trip across the city in September.
That is the view of Andy Walker, the former Hoops hero feeling that, after a January window in which Brendan Rodgers brought in Adam Idah and the increasingly-effective Nicolas Kuhn, Celtic can travel to the blue side of Glasgow with a better crop of players than they had six months ago.
Then again, you can say the same of Rangers.
Philippe Clement’s title challengers also made excellent use ofthe winter window, bringing in Oscar Cortes, Mohamed Diomande and Fabio Silva. And despite two defeats in their last three Ibrox outings, Rangers now have the chance to overtake a side they were trailing by eight points following that 2-1 loss at Parkhead on the final day of 2023.
Rangers host Celtic in Old Firm derby on Sunday
“Under Michael Beale, Rangers were a million miles away from competing for the title,” Walker tells talkSPORT (5 April, 12.20pm). “So all credit to Philippe Clement. He has changed the attitude of so many there. He has got all the supporters back onside.
“Celtic went there with I think a team that will be weaker (than this weekend in September), and they won. And that’s where Celtic have got the upper hand. They have already beaten Rangers at Ibrox and they followed that up with a win at Celtic Park.”
Clement, since replacing the unpopular Beale, has rattled his way through the milestones. A first trophy? Check. Qualification from their Europa League group? Tick. Clement is yet to claim a win over Rangers’ bitter, green-clad rivals, however, though Walker fears that wait could be over by Sunday evening with two of the club’s January signings making an immediate impact on Scottish soil.
Andy Walker hails four of Clement’s stars
“Philippe Clement has to get this monkey off his back, and there’s no better opportunity,” adds the former Scotland international, who had two spells at Celtic in the 1980s and 90s.
“He’s certainly got the players, I think. When you look at Diomande and (John) Lundstram in the middle of the park, I think those two under Clement have been excellent.
“He’s brought in Fabio Silva, who gives you a bit of something that could be unexpected. (Todd) Cantwell has found his form again.”
All four are likely to start, with Silva expected to feature on the left despite Abdallah Sima’s return from injury.
