CALLUM McGREGOR is likely to come face to face with his opposite number James Tavernier at Parkhead this afternoon.
On the honours front, it’s an uneven duel.
The Celtic captain has picked up 24 winner’s medals while the Govan skipper has a mere three. To be fair, McGregor, 32, has a four-year start on Tavernier, 34, who arrived at the club a decade ago when Mark Warburton signed him from Wigan.
Over the same period, the Hoops midfielder has won 20 trophies.
SEALED WITH A KISS…Callum McGregor celebrates the League Cup success, his 23rd honour. Number 24 was on its way when Celtic sealed the Premiership four months later.
Overall, McGregor has lifted 10 titles, six Scottish Cups and eight League Cups. In the blue corner, the Ibrox club captain has picked up honours in each of the domestic competitions with a Premiership win in the Covid season of 2020/21, the Scottish Cup a year later and the League Cup in 2023/24.
The Ibrox skipper got a little carried away when his goal helped overcome Aberdeen in the Viaplay-sponsored tournament in November 2023 which welcomed Philippe Clement as the new boss in Govan after the Belgian had replaced Michael Beale the previous month.
Tavernier proclaimed: “It’s the start of something really special for this team. This is a great first step.”
Rangers finished runners-up to Celtic in the Premiership and Scottish Cup that season and were banished among the also-rans last season with Rodgers’ men already successful in the league and Premier Sports League Cup.
Clement was sacked in February after a home loss to St Mirren which followed the 1-0 Scottish Cup exit from Queen’s Park at Ibrox in a tie where Tavernier missed a last-minute penalty-kick.
Barry Ferguson took over in a caretaker capacity before Russell Martin was given the role in a permanent basis in the summer. The axe fell on Martin after a 1-1 draw at Falkirk in October.
Danny Rohl is now in the Govan hot seat for his second Glasgow derby after losing November’s Premier Sports League Cup semi-final 3-1 to a Celtic team managed by Martin O’Neill during the Irishman’s interim period.
Now the German faces Wilfried Nancy who will be making his debut in the world famous fixture.
The Frenchman knows victory is a must to move the champions six points ahead of their city rivals.
A loss will put Rangers equal – an utterly preposterous thought only a couple of months ago.
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