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Should Celtic’s Dedryck Boyata start at Rangers?

Dedryck Boyata of Celtic reacts during the Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park on December 30, 2017 in Glasgow,...
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Glasgow Rangers host Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic at Ibrox on March 11.

Dedryck Boyata of Celtic reacts during the Scottish Premier League match between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park on December 30, 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Brendan Rodgers suggested on Tuesday that Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata would likely be fit for the Hoops’ trip to Rangers on March 11.

By the time that Old Firm game comes around, the Belgian centre-back won’t have played for a month after coming off injured in the 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock on February 10.

But surely it’s a big positive for Rangers, not Celtic, if the 27-year-old starts at Ibrox next month.

Dedryck Boyata of Celtic heads over the bar in the second half during the William Hill Scottish Cup Semi-Final between Celtic FC and Rangers FC at Hampden Park on April 23, 2017 in Glasgow,...

This is a player who was a bit of a disaster before his injury at Killie, so the fact that his first game back could be against a Gers side who are scoring for fun is fairly ominous.

Graeme Murty’s troops thumped St Johnstone 4-1 on Tuesday night and Rangers have hit 23 goals in their last seven games across all competitions.

As good as Boyata can be, the Celtic defender can’t possibly sharp enough to start against the free-scoring Blues and the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Josh Windass will be licking their lips if he does.

Dedryck Boyata of Celtic reacts following his side's loss following the UEFA Champions League group B match between Celtic FC and Bayern Muenchen at Celtic Park on October 31, 2017 in...

Winning the Premiership title isn’t a foregone conclusion for the Hoops – who are six points clear with a game in hand – and it might take victory at Ibrox to kill off Murty’s side once and for all.

And at the moment, victory seems more probable without Boyata than with him.