Kris Boyd predicts possible Martin O'Neill sack date if Rangers keep their side of bargain

Derek McInnes and Rangers have the opportunity to push Martin O'Neill ever closer to the sack at Celtic this weekend.

Celtic confirmed over the three-week international break that O'Neill will stay on as manager for now.

The pressure has been growing on the 74-year-old on the back of successive defeats to the Gers in the Premier Sports Cup and Scottish Premiership.

Rangers' 1-0 triumph on enemy territory last time out closed the gap on the leaders at the summit to just two points.

And the Gers now have the chance to leapfrog Celtic this weekend, even if only temporarily.

In the view of Kris Boyd, there is a scenario in which O'Neill could be gone from Celtic in no time at all.

The Rangers scenario that could get Martin O'Neill sacked

Rangers fans will be more concerned about events at their own club, of course, but it is impossible not to rubberneck when things go wrong across Glasgow.

Rangers do not meet Celtic again now for a few months, but that is not to say they cannot still have a big say at what happens at their fierce rivals.

Writing in his column for The Scottish Sun, former Rangers striker Boyd said next month's international break could prove to be curtains for O'Neill.

"Rangers have a favourable run of fixtures coming up and they need to capitalise on them," Boyd wrote. "They play the day before Celtic the next three weekends and must ask major questions of Martin O’Neill’s side.

"Martin has opted to stay on and even after three successive defeats, that doesn’t really surprise me. But I’m not sure anyone can say for certain that he will still be at the club when the next international break comes around.

"Martin has had three weeks to fix things, but if results take another turn for the worse, you can imagine the reaction of the Celtic fans. The pressure is on Celtic to show a reaction after those three defeats before the break.

"Rangers’ job is to make sure their Old Firm rivals arrive at Fir Park on Sunday playing catch-up."

As Boyd says, the fixtures have indeed fallen in Rangers' favour over the coming weeks.

Rangers and Celtic's upcoming fixtures analysed

There are four Scottish Premiership fixtures for Rangers to navigate before the end of October.

Rangers host Hibernian at Ibrox on Saturday and then travel to Dundee seven days later.

Celtic, meanwhile, travel to Motherwell on Sunday and then face Hearts seven days after that, with a Europa League fixture in between.

Rangers' clash with St Johnstone on 24 October is then a day before Celtic travel to Hibernian.

Even on Saturday 28, Rangers player Falkirk at 3pm while Celtic are in action at home to Dundee United in the evening kick-off.

Playing first is always an advantage, but only if you take that chance. It is over to McInnes' men to now do exactly that.