Celtic early team news v Rangers: Cameron Carter-Vickers rule out of Old Firm showdown
Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers has been ruled out of Saturday’s Old Firm Derby showdown with Rangers, manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed.
The former Leicester City boss speaking in his press conference on Friday afternoon (29 December) shared that his first-team star won’t feature for the Hoops until after the winter break in a fresh blow ahead of Saturday’s crucial clash.
Rangers make the trip to Celtic Park on Saturday (29 December) hoping to cut the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership table to two points, with a game still in hand for the Gers.
Can nick this
Despite being away from home, Philippe Clement’s side should fancy their chances against Celtic considering the potential absence of key players like Carter-Vickers, while Liel Abada and Reo Hatate may be out for the Hoops (Scotsman, 27 December).
Carter-Vickers’ injury blow may disrupt Celtic’s defensive stability, providing a real and glaring opportunity for Rangers to exploit any defensive vulnerabilities.
Rangers have been in good form, sitting five points behind Celtic with two games in hand and a win on Saturday could go a long way to the Light Blues picking up plenty of the bragging rights for the second half of the season.
What a way to end 2023 it will be for Clement and his side if they were to grab a win and the way Rodgers’ Celtic have fared in recent weeks, Rangers are well within their remit and quality to nick a win.
The potential defensive reshuffling due to Carter-Vickers’ injury opens avenues for Rangers’ attackers with Abdallah Sima and Cyriel Dessers potentially licking their lips.
The game at Parkhead provides an opportunity for Rangers to showcase their resilience and new-found confidence under Clement. A great opportunity indeed.
In other Rangers news, Sky Sports shared what wowed Fabio Silva when he visited Auchenhowie before his confirmed Ibrox transfer.