John Hartson believes Celtic already know exactly what to expect physically from Rangers heading into Sunday’s derby at Celtic Park.
The former striker pointed back to March’s dramatic 2-2 draw at Ibrox as proof of the problems Rangers can still cause when they play aggressively and attack Celtic directly.
That afternoon looked dangerous for Celtic early on.
Rangers stormed into a two-goal lead before half-time and caused constant problems with their strength, pressing and direct running. Celtic struggled badly with second balls and physical duels during the opening stages, especially inside their own half.
Martin O’Neill’s side eventually fought back after the break, but Hartson feels Rangers showed enough that day to remind Celtic how difficult this fixture can become if they lose control physically.
The timing matters too.
Celtic come into Sunday having won five league matches in a row and with momentum beginning to build again during the title run-in. Rangers, meanwhile, have dropped points since the derby at Ibrox and are no longer carrying the same consistency.
Even so, Hartson believes the physical side of the game could still shape the outcome.
The former Celtic striker knows exactly what these matches demand. During O’Neill’s first spell at the club, Hartson played in some of the most aggressive and intense derby battles of that era.
He sees similarities in parts of this current Rangers side.
He said: (Daily Record), “Celtic have won five on the bounce so they’ve got a little bit of momentum going in. It will still be a tough game, because I think a couple of weeks ago, when Rangers went 2-0 up against Celtic at Ibrox, they looked strong.
“They were committed and they looked powerful. They had big boys getting forward and bullying Celtic. I mean bullying, like our team used to do.
“We had big boys, you know. Especially defensively, you look at Johan Mjallby, and boys like myself and it was great in the end.
“Rangers have that big, strong unit, but ever since that derby they’ve lost two. It will be about who holds there nerve the best.”
Celtic will probably take confidence from how they responded in that March game.
Once Reo Hatate and Sebastian Tounekti entered midfield areas more aggressively, the match started swinging back towards O’Neill’s side. Celtic played with more intensity and finally began matching Rangers physically instead of reacting to them.
That balance will matter again on Sunday.
Hartson clearly believes Celtic cannot afford another slow start.
Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston also look set to return this time around, which could help Celtic physically across the pitch.
Engels brings energy and athleticism in midfield, while Johnston’s aggression and recovery pace give Celtic another player capable of handling Rangers when the game becomes stretched and chaotic.
