Rangers vs Celtic predictions from Herald & Times writers

Here's how our writers predict it's going to go...

Matthew Lindsay

Rangers 1 Celtic 2

The outcome of the Scottish Cup semi-final between Rangers and Celtic at Hampden on Sunday hinges on who is available to play for me - and what shape they are in if they are passed fit.

Connor Goldson coming back in will be a real boost to the defending champions. As will Liel Abada, Reo Hatate and Jota returning for their city rivals.

But fans of the Parkhead club were delighted when Aaron Mooy returned to the starting line-up for the last Old Firm match and the Australian internationalist failed to perform.

Will the players who have been sidelined be at their best if they are involved? There are so many imponderables.

Michael Beale’s men have competed well for long spells in their last two meetings with Ange Postecoglou’s charges and should not, despite going four games without a victory, be dismissed.

But I still fancy Celtic to edge it and move closer to their fifth treble in seven years. They are strong in every department regardless of who is involved and should prevail if they turn up and produce top form. 

Chris Jack

Rangers 2-1 Celtic (aet)

Michael Beale has tried, tried and tried again in the Old Firm fixtures since returning to Ibrox. Now he heads back to Hampden knowing that the outcome of his fourth derby will define the campaign and set the mood heading into a hugely significant summer.

Beale needs a performance from Rangers against Ange Postecoglou’s side. More importantly, he needs a win and finding a cutting edge to their play will be imperative on Sunday.

Rangers have so often shot themselves in the foot against Celtic with dodgy defensive displays. If that is the case again, Postecoglou’s side will be 90 minutes from the Treble.

A shot at the Scottish Cup will be the last chance at silverware for many members of this squad and there should be a real drive and determination to ensure their Rangers careers don’t end with a whimper.

Graeme McGarry

Rangers 0 Celtic 2

Rangers will be hoping the can repeat the feat of last season and salvage something from their season with another Scottish Cup semi-final win over their city rivals, and there is a school of thought that they might have the greater hunger on the day given the defence of the trophy is their only chance of winning silverware once again.

With the league already in the bag though, Ange Postecoglou’s men can also afford to leave everything out there, and I fancy the greater quality they have in their ranks to allow them to prevail.

Jota should be fit to start, but there may be some hope for Rangers if Reo Hatate is still ring-rusty after injury and Aaron Mooy isn’t yet fully up to speed following his own issues.

Unfortunately for Michael Beale though, his own big players can’t be relied upon to produce on the big stage, and Celtic should have enough to pile the misery on the Ibrox men.

Liam Bryce

Rangers 1 Celtic 2

Four unbeaten derbies in a row, a League Cup tucked away and a second consecutive title all-but confirmed places the momentum firmly in the green corner of Hampden this weekend. There has been a relentlessness about Postecoglou’s team all season and they appear hellbent on sweeping up the treble that so narrowly eluded them last year.

The returning Jota and Reo Hatate are real difference-makers, something I just don’t see in the Rangers team. Losing so meekly away at Aberdeen last week was also a body blow from which it could be difficult to recover quickly.

Beale has shown he can muster a game plan to compete with Postecoglou over 90 minutes, albeit his team could not do enough to beat even an off-colour Celtic in the last Premiership meeting. For that reason, it feels like the Parkhead’s side pursuit of a domestic clean sweep will march on to the final hurdle.

Aidan Smith

Rangers 0 Celtic 2

I fully expect Celtic to do the business at the national stadium against their rivals. They have shown over the course of the season they are currently the best team in the city and a treble now looks like a real possibility. 

Rangers are struggling defensively at the minute and Ange Postecoglou’s attack will be smelling blood. After Friday’s press conference, it is clear that last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final still hurts Postecoglou and his players and they seem determined to put things right this weekend. 

Rangers will surely be up for the fight given their disappointing season so far, but I just can’t see them laying a glove on their rivals given their current attacking failures.

Ewan Paton 

Rangers 0 Celtic 1

The latest Old Firm derby was littered with mistakes. Ange Postecoglou and Michael Beale said as much afterwards.

While it was highly entertaining, both managers were left unhappy with some of the quality on show from their teams, with major errors leading to goals from both teams.

To a slightly lesser extent, the Viaplay Cup final also wasn't the greatest of games in terms of the quality you'd expect from Scotland's top two sides. 

I can see a bit of a buck in the trend in this one with the stakes so high for either side. I reckon it will be incredibly tight, with a goal for either side likely to separate the teams. I think the Hoops will prevail, though.

David Irvine

Rangers 2 Celtic 3 (aet)

There's little doubt Hampden is the place to be on Sunday. The blue side of the national stadium will be demanding a trophy after a turbulent campaign and those in green-and-white will be equally desperate to complete a domestic treble.

For those reasons, I reckon this will be a free-scoring affair with two sides eager to win from the off - or perhaps just as important, determined not to lose. I expect goals aplenty at Hampden in a frantic start to the second semi-final, however, as the match wears on I could see both sides settling for another 30 minutes of action.

That's when it'll come down to who can make the biggest impact from the bench. It's obvious both sides are packed with quality but for me, Celtic's substitutes could hold the key to landing the Scottish Cup and inch them ever closer to a domestic treble.