Rangers vs Celtic: What the managers say ahead of the first Old Firm clash of the season

Michael Beale's Rangers and Brendan Rodgers' Celtic go head to head in the first Old Firm match of the Scottish Premiership season on Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

After an opening day defeat to Kilmarnock, Rangers have won back-to-back league matches, scoring six goals and conceding none.

Celtic's 100 per cent league start was halted by a 0-0 draw at home to St Johnstone after they suffered an early exit from the Viaplay Cup.

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The Hoops, who will have no fans at Ibrox, sit one point clear of their rivals going into the game.

As well as the incentive to leapfrog the Scottish champions, Rangers will be looking to recover from their 5-1 hammering away to PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League play-off in midweek.

Rodgers lost just once to Rangers during his first spell at Celtic while Beale recorded his first Old Firm victory in the final game of last season.

Here is what both managers have had to say ahead of Sunday's showdown.

Beale: We need to impress domestically

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"Domestically I think after the first game of the season we've been we've done. In the last two league games we've had two clean sheets, we've scored six goals and had six different goal scorers.

"Things are moving in the right direction, Europe aside. The domestic competitions are our first and foremost importance.

"We've obviously qualified for the League Cup quarter-final, if we can go into the international break off a big performance in the Old Firm then that will set us up really well going into the September international break.

"The domestic competitions are where we need to be judged and where we need to demand from ourselves this season.

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"A lot has changed in both clubs since the game at the end of the season. A new manager across the road but one that certainly knows Celtic inside out.

"They've got a probably more settled squad than us in terms of incomings and outgoings as we've had about 15 go out and nine in.

"It's a fantastic game for both sets of players and management teams.

"It's important that we come out on top and, if we do it, it puts us in a great place but I'm sure they'll think in the same which means when these two teams collide it's going to be an excellent spectacle for everybody watching."

Rodgers: A fantastic game to be involved in

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"It's a fantastic game to be involved. I was fortunate when I was here the last time we put in some fantastic performances and results. So so we know the challenge when you go to Ibrox, it's never never easy.

"The players will be ready for it, we need to go to play the football that we want to play, produce the performance that we want, and if we can do that would be a great chance to get the result again.

"There's no doubt Rangers will be a strong opponent. They will obviously be disappointed from the result, but it's always a challenge in the Champions League when you're when you're in those qualification games. I've been through it myself.

"They are a challenge but you go into your next game and you want to win so facing Celtic at Ibrox is a great game for them, but it's also fantastic for us to go and play to the level that we want to play and get a result.

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"We've won two league games and drawn one but our performance wasn't what we'd wanted it to be [vs St Johnstone] last weekend.

"We need to speed up our game that's important in opposition at times, but for me when I analysed the game it was crystal clear in terms of the areas to improve on.

"Watching the players this week in training I think they feel that confidence continuing to come so we'll look to take that into this weekend's game."

How to watch

Watch Celtic vs Rangers live from 11am on Sunday on Sky Sports Football, with kick-off 12pm. You can also follow it in our dedicated live match blog featuring in-game highlights and analysis.

Full match highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel later that evening.

Scottish Premiership and SWPL on Sky Sports

Sky Sports - Next season up to 48 cinch Premiership games will be available across Sky Sports' flagship channels, including Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, plus at least five SWPL matches. From 2024/25, up to 60 cinch Premiership will be live on Sky Sports, in addition to the SWPL.

Sky Sports News - Running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Scottish football fans can enjoy Sky Sports News' (channel 409) rolling editorial coverage of the cinch Premiership and SWPL throughout the season.

Sky Sports Digital - Follow all the latest from Scottish football across SkySports.com and app, including exclusive features and interviews, plus dedicated live blog coverage, in-game clips from matches live on Sky Sports and free highlights.

Sky Sports Social - Alongside coverage and visibility for the league across all Sky Sports' main social media channels, the bespoke Twitter channel @ScotlandSky will continue to be the home of all Scottish football content on Sky Sports.

Highlights show - Tune in for a dedicated round-up from the cinch Premiership every week on Sky Sports Football.

To download the Sky Sports app click here, to visit Sky Sports website click here.

Sky Sports is the home of domestic football in the UK and Ireland, with more than 400 games per season across the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Women's Premier League, Premier League, WSL, and EFL.

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