Are Celtic 'much stronger' or can Rangers compete in derby?

Scottish Premiership: Celtic v Rangers

Venue: Celtic Park Date: Sunday, 1 September Time: 12:30 BST

Coverage: Follow live on the BBC Sport website & app and on BBC Sounds; watch highlights on Sportscene

Martin O'Neill and Graeme Souness both make Celtic favourites for Sunday's first Old Firm derby of the season.

But the former managers of Glasgow's behemoths quickly diverge thereafter.

O'Neill reckons the gulf is huge, while Souness believes his old team are not so far behind.

"The game could go either way but, in the big picture over the course of the season, Celtic are definitely much stronger than Rangers," said O'Neill, who picked up seven trophies during his time at the helm at Celtic Park from 2000–2005.

"Yes, Celtic have the stronger squad," agreed Souness, who took seven pieces of silverware back to Ibrox from 1986-91.

"But names on team sheets don't win matches. It's about who turns up on the day."

Last season, Celtic were unbeaten in five meetings, winning four, on their way to a Premiership and Scottish Cup double.

Over the past three campaigns, Rangers have won just three of the 16 meetings with their great rivals.

The managers

Brendan Rodgers has overseen 18 such games in his two spells with Celtic, winning 14 and only losing once.

In the blue corner, Philippe Clement has yet to taste victory, with three losses and a draw.

"I was backed to the hilt but it's a very different club right now," said Souness. "Clement has to work with the players he's got. There's no money tree at Ibrox.

"I think he's a very good manager and he's done a great job so far. But he's going to have to start winning Old Firm games if he's going to win the league."

Rodgers overcame a sticky start on his return to Celtic in the summer of 2023 to finish strongly and take advantage of Rangers' spring lapses.

The last derby was the Scottish Cup final in May, settled in the 90th-minute by Adam Idah's solitary goal.

O'Neill acknowledges that Rodgers was "not universally accepted" by fans after the acrimony around his previous departure for Leicester City in 2019.

"He had to overcome that and it was a bit of a concern early on," said O'Neill.

"Supporters were used to completely dominating under Ange Postecoglou. But to take the league in the circumstances they did would have been a great boost.

"His record against Rangers is really fantastic."

The finances

Celtic have enjoyed far more success than Rangers in recent years, winning all but one of the 11 titles in the Premiership era.

In the previous guise of the SPL, the split was 8-7 in Celtic's favour.

The recent imbalance in success is certainly a factor in the current financial chasm between the clubs.

"There are messages coming out of Rangers that it will take time for them to compete," said O'Neill. "I'm not sure you are given that time.

"Supporters want their side not just competing but to be the dominant force again.

"Rangers don't have the financial wherewithal and the longer that remains so, the stronger Celtic will be and the weaker Rangers will be."

Souness spoke to Rangers last year about taking on a role in the Ibrox hierarchy and thinks his old club would benefit from having "football people" at the heart of decision-making.

"I'm not talking about myself because that boat has sailed for me," he said.

"We discard people who could do a job for their clubs, in terms of advice.

"In Germany, they use them all the time. They use ex-players as a sounding board. That's something we could maybe look at in this country."

The game

After four Premiership matches, Celtic are already two points ahead in the table. With home advantage, there will be an expectancy to stretch that lead.

"Obviously, Celtic start as favourites," conceded Souness. "They are the champions. There will be no away supporters.

"But when you try to apply logic to football matches sometimes you come away scratching your head.

"The Rangers players have got to know what's coming their way, which will be a fire early on. Deal with it.

"Don't get 15-20 minutes into the game and wake up. If ever there's a game you have to start right in, it's an Old Firm game.

"I witnessed two derbies last season, the Scottish Cup final and the 2-1 game at Parkhead, and I didn't think there was a great deal between the sides, so I'm hoping Rangers enjoy a good day."

O'Neill was blunter is his assessment, saying: "I don't think Rangers are strong at all. Confidence is brittle at the moment.

"I do think Celtic are much stronger and that's pretty well common knowledge."