Martin O'Neill hit back following Danny Rohl's comments about his Celtic team selection ahead of Sunday's Old Firm derby, telling the Rangers boss he "hasn't been in Glasgow very long."

Rangers and Celtic face off at Ibrox with just two points splitting them in the Scottish Premiership table. 

Rohl's Gers are second, four points behind surprise leaders Hearts, and though O'Neill's Bhoys are down in third, they have a game in hand on both sides above them.

And the game should carry an extra bit of needle, after O'Neill was irked by comments Rohl made in the wake of Celtic's Europa League tie against Stuttgart, which they lost 4-2 on aggregate despite a 1-0 victory in Germany on Thursday. 

Rohl said: "I was a little bit surprised after 1-0 that they're not trying to win this game 2-0 or 3-0, to have a chance. They kept the result until the end."

Rohl also said it would be "interesting" to see whether O'Neill reintroduces Kasper Schmeichel in goal this weekend, after he was replaced by Viljami Sinisalo following a couple of high-profile errors in the first leg of the Stuttgart tie. 

Next up: League business.#RANCEL | #CelticFC pic.twitter.com/tyrBT27rbR

— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) February 27, 2026

When those comments were put to O'Neill on Friday, he replied: "He felt we didn't try and win the tie? He wants to be involved in some of these games! I never saw it like that.

"And he's picking our team? Well done, old Danny! He's only been in less than a year himself. He'll soon know all about it in the next four or five years.

"I must sit down here and see if I can find out if he has a choice between some of his players, and whether I can put my oar in there and find out what he's doing.

"I have to laugh. He's had a comment about our team? The picking of the team? Extraordinary. Absolutely extraordinary. He hasn't been in Glasgow long."

In the aftermath of the second Stuttgart game, Celtic midfielder Luke McCowan suggested the Bhoys were the only team in Scotland capable of competing at a high level in Europe. 

And that comment irked Rohl, who said of Celtic: "We are in second position. They are behind us.

"I think they have had seven defeats. It makes no sense to speak too much about the other side. 

"It's a crucial game, but no team will be out after this game because there are still 27 points you can take."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rangers – Mikey Moore

Moore, who scored in the most recent Old Firm derby in January, has five goals in the Scottish Premiership this season. 

The last player to score more while aged 18 or younger in a single campaign was Ryan Gauld in 2013-14 (six), and the last non-Scottish player to do so was James McCarthy in 2008-09 (also six).

Celtic – Benjamin Nygren 

Despite playing 46% of his minutes in the Premiership this season as a central midfielder, Nygren ranks joint-top for goals (14, level with Tawanda Maswanhise).

He is also second in the charts for shots (67) and shots on target (30), and third for expected goals (10.0 xG) in 2025-26.

MATCH PREDICTION – RANGERS WIN 

Rangers are unbeaten in their last five league meetings with Celtic (W3 D2), after losing four of their previous five beforehand (D1). 

They have had four different managers in those five clashes (Philippe Clement, Barry Ferguson twice, Russell Martin, and Rohl).

Meanwhile, this will be O'Neill's Old Firm derby as Celtic boss, in the league, since masterminding a 2-1 win at Ibrox in April 2005; the Northern Irishman has won eight of his last 10 Premiership games against Rangers as the Hoops' boss (L2).

But Rangers' tremendous home record may be a factor here. They have won each of their last 10 home games in all competitions by an aggregate score of 32-4. 

The Gers last won 11 successive home matches in December 2013 under Ally McCoist (11), and last did so within a single season in April 2003 under Alex McLeish (18) – the 11th of which was against Celtic (3-2 in December 2002).

After his side's 3-1 win in January, when Wilfried Nancy was still at Celtic, Rohl could become the first-ever Rangers boss to win his first two Old Firm derbies in the Premiership.

 Danny Röhl is relishing Sunday’s latest Old Firm derby encounter.

Read More | https://t.co/xdD46bcKvK pic.twitter.com/zC2TNYJsQQ

— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 27, 2026

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Rangers – 44%

Celtic – 29.2%

Draw – 26.8%