Rangers lacked "bravery and belief" in the previous fixture at Celtic, Rangers manager Steven Gerrard told media yesterday.

“I feel as if we know each other a lot more since the last game, in terms of Rangers and being together - we are used to each other a lot more," he said.

“I felt as if the first 45 minutes at Celtic Park we didn’t give a true account of ourselves, I felt like we played in a shell and we lacked a bit of bravery and belief.

“I have confidence and belief in my players and I know that if they bring their A-game then it should be enough."

Image source, SNS

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says his side will be in a good position no matter the result at Ibrox.

"If we get the win we want, we will be in a very good position with a game in hand and a number of points clear," Rodgers said.

"Whatever the result will be at the end of the game, we will be in a good position or a very good position.

"The records aren't important. It's more about how we play and giving the supporters what they want, which is to win and win well."

Image source, SNS

If you missed the thrills and spills of the Premiership action last time out, including that exciting 4-3 win for Celtic in Aberdeen, you can view them here.

Smoke bombs welcomed the team bus to Ibrox. It's heating up out there...

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard received a pre-match boost with the news that three of the four players who were injury doubts were judged fit to start the game.

Centre-half Connor Goldson, midfielder Scott Arfield and winger Ryan Kent all take their players in the line-up, but veteran defender Gareth McAuley misses out.

The starting XI contains two changes from the side that was held to a draw by Hibernian on Boxing Day, with Arfield and Kent coming in for Lassana Coulibaly and Glenn Middleton, who both drop to the bench.

Image source, SNS

With Kieran Tierney only judged fit enough for a place on the bench, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has opted to play midfielder Callum McGregor at left-back.

Tierney is joined among the substitutes by Odsonne Edouard, despite the record signing making an impressive appearance from the bench, including scoring a goal, in their 4-3 Boxing Day win over Aberdeen.

Young Michael Johnston starts up front instead.

His return to the starting line-up is one of two changes from the team that started against Aberdeen, with Emilio Izaguirre and Tom Rogic dropping out.

Olivier Ntcham returns in midfield in place of Rogic, who was barred from playing by Australia after being called up for next month's Asia Cup.

Image source, SNS

Image source, BBC Sport

Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Worrall, Halliday, Jack, McCrorie, Arfield, Kent, Candeias, Morelos.

Substitutes: Foderingham, Katic, Wallace, Coulibaly, Flanagan, Middleton, Lafferty.

Celtic: Gordon, Lustig, Boyata, Benkovic, McGregor, Brown, Ntcham, Christie, Forrest, Sinclair, Johnston.

Substitutes: Bain, Edouard, Ajer, Morgan, Hayes, Ralston, Tierney.

Image source, BBC Sport

Directors from Rangers and Celtic have been laying wreaths to pay their respects to those who lost their lives in the Ibrox Disaster in 1971.

On 2 January that year, 66 people died and 200 were injured on an exit stairway at Rangers' ground - the worst British football disaster until Hillsborough in Sheffield in 1989.

Image source, SNS

The bottom four in the Premiership are becoming detached.

Bottom-placed Dundee have a difficult home game against a St Johnstone team with the second best away record.

The other derby of the day has Hamilton Academical hosting Motherwell as the Lanarkshire sides both look for points to avoid being pulled into relegation trouble.

As mentioned earlier, St Mirren have it difficult away to high-flying Kilmarnock and the Paisley side could go into the winter break at the bottom should they lose and Dundee beat St Johnstone.

For all the talk of it being the closest Premiership title race in years, with nine points separating first from fifth, a Celtic win at Ibrox would take Brendan Rodgers' reigning champions six points clear of their second-top hosts with a game in hand.

A win for Steven Gerrard's Rangers would, of course, have the two Glasgow rivals level and set up the title race nicely for when the top flight returns after its January winter break.

Third-top Kilmarnock can move into second should they defeat second-bottom St Mirren at Rugby Park and Rangers take anything less than three points.

Fourth-placed Aberdeen face a potentially tough task away to a Livingston side with the best home record outside of the Old Firm.

Then we get to the Edinburgh derby as Hibernian host Hearts with both in danger of falling out of contention for European places never mind the title.

Image source, BBC Sport

Driving past Ibrox this morning, I thought I had stumbled upon a Yellow Vest protest.

But no, it is Old Firm derby day and, as is the tradition, the police and stewards were out early to prepare for one of the biggest, most potentially entertaining - and most potentially stormy - fixtures on the calendar.

Like a drunk man still recovering from Yuletide celebrations and warming up for the New Year, the Scottish Premiership fixtures are staggered today, with four games kicking off at 15:00 and the Edinburgh derby at 17:30.

First up, though, and kicking off at 12:30, is that match in Glasgow given even more significance by the fact visitors Celtic are top of the table and Rangers their nearest challengers.

Stay with us for all the build-up, live commentary and post-match reaction on BBC Radio Scotland and online.

Image source, SNS