Celtic go into the final Old Firm derby of the season needing far more than bragging rights. They are three points behind Heart Of Midlothian with three matches left, so anything short of a win would leave the title race slipping away. Rangers, seven points adrift of the leaders, are playing for something different but still serious: the chance to wreck Celtic's push and avoid a first third-placed finish since 2018.

Why this derby matters more to Celtic

The pressure is obvious. This is not just another derby at Celtic Park, it is a game tied directly to the title race.

Peter Grant put it bluntly: "It's a must win for Celtic. If they don't win, it's Hearts' title." Scott Brown made the same point in slightly different terms, telling dailyrecord.co.uk: "I still think it's in Celtic and Martin's hands. If they can go and beat Rangers the last game of the season is Hearts."

That is the basic equation for Celtic. They are three points behind Heart Of Midlothian with three matches left to play, and the route back into control starts here.

The managerial return has at least given them a platform. Martin O'Neill has recorded 11 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats in 15 league games after taking charge in two separate spells this term. Those are strong enough numbers to justify the belief that Celtic can still force this deep into the run-in.

There is one complication in the form reading. Some of the preview material describes Celtic as being on a five-game winning streak, and John Hartson said: "Celtic have won five on the bounce so they've got a little bit of momentum going in." But the stats pack shows their last five recorded UEFA Europa League matches as WDLWL. That does not cancel out the domestic momentum argument, but it does make the broader form picture less tidy than the usual derby build-up suggests.

Rangers still have plenty riding on it

Rangers are not chasing the title from here. The brief is clear on that. They are seven points behind the leaders.

Even so, this is not a dead-rubber derby for them. If Rangers lose on Sunday, they would be consigned to a first third-placed finish since 2018. That explains why Kris Boyd's line was so forceful: "Rangers need to approach Celtic Park on Sunday as a game that they must win. It's bad enough finishing second up here, but to finish third would be a huge, huge blow for Rangers."

Ross McCormack framed the emotional side of it well. "It's so hard to call. Rangers are out of the title race, but it's a massive game for them in terms of their fans expecting them to try and stop Celtic winning the league."

That spoiler role is real, and in some ways dangerous. Teams with little margin left in the standings can still shape the season for everyone else, especially in this fixture.

Rangers' recent form also needs careful handling. The preview says they have lost each of their last two games, and it also notes they were undefeated in 16 Scottish Premiership fixtures before the post-split campaign. The stats pack gives a different snapshot, listing their last five recorded Europa League matches as LWLDL. So the cleaner conclusion is that domestic slippage has arrived at the worst time, even if other recent data points are measuring a different competition.

The derby record gives Rangers a reason to believe

If this were judged only on title pressure, Celtic would look like the side with the clearer edge. Derby history makes it less straightforward.

Rangers are unbeaten in their last six Scottish Premiership Old Firm clashes, with three wins and three draws. That run includes back-to-back wins at Celtic Park, which matters because it stops this feeling like a simple home-banker for the hosts.

Hartson touched on that when he said it would still be a tough game, adding that when Rangers went 2-0 up against Celtic at Ibrox a couple of weeks ago, "they looked strong." That is probably the right caution for Celtic supporters. The table pressure points toward the home side, but this fixture has not followed the obvious script lately.

There is also a more immediate concern for Rangers. Kevin Kyle said he was leaning toward Celtic because Rangers' defence is "questionable" and added: "It's just going by the naked eye, I think there is a mistake in Djiga in Fernandez." That is opinion rather than a hard metric, but it fits the wider sense of a side that has become less convincing at the wrong moment.

This match is still mainly about Celtic's obligation to win. But Rangers have enough at stake, and enough recent derby evidence, to make them far more than a supporting act. If Celtic do not take the points at Celtic Park, the pressure swings sharply toward Heart Of Midlothian with only two games left after this one.

FAQ

Why is the Celtic vs Rangers match so important in the Scottish Premiership title race?

[Celtic](club:celtic) are three points behind [Heart Of Midlothian](club:heart-of-midlothian) with three matches left, so they need a win to stay in touch. Peter Grant called it a must-win, while Scott Brown said the race remains in Celtic and Martin O'Neill's hands if they beat [Rangers](club:rangers).

Can Rangers still affect the title race if they are out of it?

Yes. Ross McCormack said [Rangers](club:rangers) are out of the title race but still have a massive chance to stop [Celtic](club:celtic) winning the league. Rangers are seven points adrift of the leaders, so their realistic role here is spoiler rather than contender.

Are Celtic actually in strong form going into the Old Firm derby?

The sources split on that. The preview says [Celtic](club:celtic) are on a five-game winning streak, and John Hartson said they have won five on the bounce. But the stats pack lists their last five recorded Europa League matches as WDLWL, so the safer reading is that domestic momentum exists, even if the broader picture is less clean.

How bad would defeat be for Rangers against Celtic?

It would be significant. The brief says [Rangers](club:rangers) would be consigned to a first third-placed finish since 2018 if they lose on Sunday. Kris Boyd also said finishing third would be a huge, huge blow, which is why he framed the game as a must-win for Rangers too.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →