To fully get a sense of how amazing a season Celtic have had against Rangers, consider this ahead of their expected win at Ibrox on Saturday: if they do pick up all three points they will have won both league matches at Ibrox for just the third season in history.
To emulate the achievements of 1982/83 and 2003/04, the Bhoys must be at their best. There’s no room for error now as they close on the ridiculous feat of going the entire domestic campaign across three competitions unbeaten.
It’s a frankly unprecedented season for Celtic. Brendan Rodgers has done an unbelievable job. To slip to a defeat now would be a crying shame. If that defeat does happen then Ibrox may just be the most likely place.
These derbies are a leveller every now and again and while they are coming off the back of one of their most dominant wins over the Gers ever, the prospect that Rangers produce the performance of a lifetime on Saturday cannot be discounted.
How does Brendan Rodgers ensure that doesn’t happen?
This is our plan for the Hoops this weekend that we think will ensure victory…
The easy decision: The undroppable midfield
The midfield trio of Callum McGregor, Stuart Armstrong and Scott Brown simply can’t be tinkered with in any way, shape or form this Saturday. Their display at Hampden was perhaps the best Celtic midfield display of the entire season, absolutely destroying their opponents, especially in the first half.
The work ethic of all three is on a different level to the rest of Scottish football and in Armstrong and McGregor they have a duo who are no slouches going forward either.
It’ll be a harsh spell on the bench for Tom Rogic, who is still recovering for injury, but Celtic can’t risk players with a lack of match fitness in the cauldron of Ibrox.
Perhaps Rodgers’ biggest decision this Saturday will be to make no changes to this trio that can again slay Rangers in their own backyard.
The difficult choice: Forrest in for Roberts
A more difficult Brendan Rodgers on Saturday will be which attacking blend to go for in the final third on Saturday. There’s an argument to say that Patrick Roberts is just as undroppable as others in the Celtic team but for us the Ibrox fixture is a day made for James Forrest.
Patrick Roberts took some heavy challenges on Sunday, often bamboozling the likes of Myles Beerman and Andy Halliday. He could do the same at Ibrox but would actually be much more impactful coming off the bench after James Forrest has tested their legs.
The direct pace and work ethic of Forrest would be an massive asset in a match where Rangers are expected to at least have a couple of good spells buoyed by their home support. He can track back well, something he’s improved on this season and in winning back the ball can counter quicker and more effectively than Roberts.
By the team Forrest has stretched the Rangers defence, Roberts should be just about ready to come on in the closing stages and run riot.
What to watch out for: Complacency
The one thing that may trip Celtic up on Saturday is themselves. Complacency is a real issue for teams who have already won things and while they were massively up for Sunday Scottish Cup semi-final, the same may not be true for the league fixture between the two sides.
Since securing the Scottish Premiership at Tynecastle against Hearts, the Hoops have drawn two league matches against Ross County and Partick Thistle, doubling the amount of draws they’ve had this entire season in a short space of time.
Brendan Rodgers needs to be very aware of this and spot the signs early doors. If any of his team are running below par he either needs to go through them at half-time or make some key changes.
There’s no doubt that if Celtic turn up and perform to the best of their abilities on Saturday they will win, the key will be making sure they are motivated for that task.