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Preview: Title chasers Celtic host Rangers in season's penultimate Glasgow derby

Celtic’s Daizen Maeda in action against Rangers’ James Tavernier in last season’s Scottish Cup Final (Image: Stu Forster / Getty Images)

CELTIC host Rangers in the penultimate Scottish Premiership meeting between the two sides this season, with the Hoops aiming to take one step closer to the title and the visitors looking to build on their European success.

Win, lose or draw, the title looks to be heading to Celtic Park for a third successive year and a 13th time in 14 seasons.

However, a win for the visitors, who this week progressed to the Europa League quarter-finals, would put the champagne on ice until after the league splits late next month.

Here's all you need to know about today's fixture, including how to watch the action on TV.

When and where

The Glasgow rivals meet at Celtic Park at 12.30pm GMT today (8.30am EDT, 5.30am PDT) in matchday 30 of the Scottish Premiership.

Following the game, there will be three more fixtures before the league splits, after which the sides will meet for the last time this season at Ibrox in one of the five post-split fixtures.

How they stand

Brendan Rodgers' side are currently 16 points clear of their city rivals at the top of the table, with 75 points after 29 games.

Despite their indifferent domestic form, Rangers sit in second place, 15 points clear of third-placed Hibs and 16 points clear of Aberdeen in fourth, whose early-season form has deserted them.

Form

Celtic have lost just two domestic games this season, both in the league, against Rangers at Ibrox and away to Hibs last month.

They have already secured the League Cup as they chase a domestic treble and were seconds away from taking German giants Bayern Munich to extra time in their Champions League knockout play-off second leg.

Rangers' league form has been nothing short of dreadful, having lost six games and drawn a further five.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor scores to make it 3-0 during September’s meeting with Rangers at Celtic Park (Image: Craig Williamson / SNS Group via Getty Images)

They took Celtic all the way in the League Cup Final and are through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, however, they were dumped out of the Scottish Cup last month by second tier side Queen's Park, who won 1-0 at Ibrox.

That result no doubt contributed to Philippe Clement's sacking two weeks later, however, there has been little sign domestically of a new manager bounce under his replacement Barry Ferguson.

The former Ibrox midfielder saw his side fall 2-0 behind to Kilmarnock in his first game before winning 4-2, but his next match saw Rangers lose 2-1 to Motherwell in his home debut.

Head-to-head

Despite the points disparity, there has been little between the sides in their three meetings so far this season.

Celtic won 3-0 at Celtic Park in September, while Rangers were victorious by the same scoreline in a one-sided game at Ibrox in January.

Those matches came either side of the League Cup Final clash in December, with Celtic winning on penalties after the game ended 3-3 following extra time.

Overall, both sides are tied on 170 wins each, with 104 draws.

What's at stake

The league trophy is undoubtedly bound for Celtic Park but Rangers can have a big say on when that happens.

Today's six-pointer means a win for the Hoops would give them a 19-point lead, leaving them needing just two wins to seal the title.

That could see Celtic wrap up the league at St Johnstone on April 6 before the split.

Maeda opens the scoring in the 3-0 home win over Rangers in December (Image: Alan Harvey / SNS Group via Getty Images)

A draw would leave Celtic needing three more victories, which is still manageable from their final three games before the split.

However, a win for Rangers would leave Celtic needing four wins, meaning the earliest they could then win the title is in the first post-split fixture on the weekend of April 26-27.

A Rangers victory would also see them needing just seven more points to secure second place and guarantee entry into next season's Champions League at the second qualifying round stage.

Injuries

Celtic are still without midfielder Paulo Bernardo with an ankle injury, while Irish defender Liam Scales (cheekbone) is unlikely to feature.

Captain Callum McGregor is a doubt having been nursing a calf injury that saw him subbed off in last weekend's 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Hibs.

However, winger James Forrest is back in the squad, having last featured in the aforementioned League Cup Final.

Defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo is still out injured for Rangers, however, loanee Oscar Cortes returned to action in a B team game against Crystal Palace U21s this week.

Who to watch

Any fear that Celtic would struggle to replace Kyogo Furuhashi's goals following his winter move to Rennes have been blown away by Daizen Maeda's impressive form.

The pacy forward has scored in 11 of his past 13 games, notching 14 in that time and has 27 goals for Celtic this season, including two against Rangers.

The goals have dried up somewhat for winger Niholas Kühn following a blistering for half of the season but the German is always a threat and, along with teammates Maeda and Alistair Johnston, tops the premiership assist charts (seven each).

Jota, centre, has been in fine form since his return to Celtic in January (Image: Ian MacNicol / Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Portuguese winger Jota, who has four goals in 10 games against Rangers, is in line to face the Ibrox side for the first time since returning to Celtic in January.

Václav Černý and Cyriel Dessers are the danger men for Rangers, having scored consistently this season, including in their impressive 3-1 win at Fenerbahçe in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie.

Goalkeeper Jack Butland was in top form in the second leg at Ibrox, saving two penalties in the shootout to ensure Rangers' progress.

Meanwhile, regular penalty taker James Tavernier will be looking to add to his 137 goals, a British record for a defender.