Former Rangers and Celtic striker Kenny Miller thinks the prospect of automatic Champions League football next season should be a massive incentive for both sides to lift the Scottish Premiership title – and insists neither can afford to lose when they meet on Sunday for the first time this season.
Both sides of the Old Firm face trips back to Glasgow ahead of Sunday’s Ibrox clash with Rangers in action in the Europa League in Armenia while Celtic have to return from the Netherlands.
With both having already lost in the league this season, Miller thinks a loss on Sunday would be “disastrous” for their title hopes despite the league campaign only being four games old, telling the Glasgow Times: “It’s a tough start to the season for both clubs because of the European games coming thick and fast, but that’s the nature of the beast at this level. If you’re striving for European football, you’ve got to get on with it.
“Neither side can afford to lose this game at Ibrox this weekend, because it’ll mean they’ll have lost two of their opening four fixtures this season. That’s a disastrous start for either club.
“Throw in the fact that they’ve both been knocked out of the Champions League qualifiers already, coupled with defeat this Sunday, and you’d have to say it’s a horrendous start for whichever club it happens to.
“It’s early days, but this is the psychology in Glasgow. If you’re Celtic or Rangers and you’ve lost two of your first four games, then the reality is you’re going to be playing catch-up with the other side.
“It’s a huge, huge game, not least because the team that wins the league this year gets an automatic Champions League spot, so this really is massive.
“The financial gain that comes with that in Scotland is huge. What an incentive to win the title; you can swap all of this qualification process for an automatic group spot.”
After Rangers were hit by a number of Covid cases in the build-up to tonight’s Europa League clash, the Gers have been left with a threadbare first-team going into the Old Firm.
Some of those unavailable tonight, like Kemar Roofe, will definitely be available on Sunday, while others could return if they test negative for Covid in time.
Celtic go into their Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar in a strong position and look to have rediscovered their touch following the arrival of Ange Postecoglou.
Sunday’s Old Firm will be the Australian’s first taste of one of football’s hottest derbies and he’ll be looking to make a big impression – regardless of whether Steven Gerrard is in the opposite dugout or not.
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