Celtic must go all out to blitz Rangers early with one eye on their Champions League game.
Celtic face Rangers this weekend with one eye on their Champions League clash with Anderlecht days later.
Celtic are already five points clear of Rangers, and while losing to their rivals is unthinkable from a bragging rights perspective – really they can afford to lose and will win the title anyway.
The game against Anderlecht is important, as it will shape their European campaign.
Qualification to the Champions League knockout stages looks highly difficult already, having been drawn in the same group as giants Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.
It leaves Celtic and Anderlecht scrapping over third place and Europa League qualification.
This should leave Brendan Rodgers with the option to try and blitz Rangers early in the Old Firm clash, and start two up front, Leigh Griffiths and the returning Moussa Dembele.
If Celtic can take a commanding lead early, they may have the option of withdrawing their top stars for the final half an hour and resting them.
The game may not be so simply as that, but Celtic’s recent record against Rangers suggests it could be.
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