Celtic entered the new year in a commanding position at the top of the Scottish Premiership and well on their way to their 55th league title.
The signs were ominous for the rest of Scotland already in pre-season with Brendan Rodgers’ side embarking on an impressive summer in which they competed admirably with some of the continent’s best.
Celtic go into Thursday’s Old Firm derby with a 14-point lead at the top of the division, with Rangers more concerned about third-placed Aberdeen than their miraculous title run during the second half of the season.
Trips to Ibrox are never easy, but the Hoops have enjoyed their visits in recent years. A convincing win to start the new year could spell the end Rangers boss Philippe Clement in the home dugout.
Here’s how Celtic could line up for the first Old Firm in 2025.
GK: Kasper Schmeichel – Talk about smart purchases. Schmeichel has taken over as number one since joining the Bosman club this summer and has conceded just four goals in the Scottish Premiership.
RB: Alistair Johnston – The reliable right-back has been sidelined since the League Cup final but is expected to return to action on Thursday.
CB: Cameron Carter-Vickers – The former Tottenham defender emerged as an undisputed starter at Celtic Park and developed into a player suddenly linked with a move to German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
CB: Auston Trusty – The USMNT the international also joined the club in the summer and has usurped Liam Scales on the leaderboard.
LB: Greg Taylor – Taylor’s days as Celtic’s starting left-back could be numbered as his contract expires in the summer. Thursday’s bout could be one of his last appearances for the Old Firm.
CM: Paulo Bernardo – The 22-year-old has been in and out of Rodgers’ side this term, but the Portugal international has shown plenty of promise in the Celtic engine room. At £3.5m, he looks like an absolute steal.
CM: Callum McGregor – The experienced Scot captained the Hoops to victory over Rangers in the League Cup final before Christmas and is set to make his 42nd Old Firm appearance on Thursday.
CM: Reo Hatate – The Japanese star has recovered this term from a serious injury in 2023/24, and will be keen to impress at Ibrox having starred in this game early in his Celtic career.
RW: Nicolas Kuhn – The German has been strengthened since he came from Rapid Wien a year ago. Kuhn has enjoyed an excellent 2024/25 season so far, netting a team-high 13 league goals while proving his worth in Champions Leaguealso.
ST: Kyogo Furuhashi – The Celtic striker has a superb record going into this fixture, with only Henrik Larsson and Kenny Miller scoring more goals for the Old Firm this century than Kyog, who scored eight.
LW: Daizen Maeda – The likeable Japanese striker may not be the most effective operator in front of goal, but he has been a regular in this Celtic team for a long time and has been close to a mainstay again under Rodgers.
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