Celtic Face Hostile Ibrox Test in Rangers League Cup Quarter-Final
Celtic travel to Ibrox on Sunday for an Old Firm League Cup quarter-final with a perfect Scottish Premiership record intact, but Martin O’Neill’s side will be tested by a Rangers crowd of around 50,000 after visiting fans were barred under an SPFL decision.
Old Firm quarter-final at a glance
| Item | Figure or date | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Celtic league record | 6 wins from 6 | 14 scored and three conceded in the Premiership |
| European exit | Lost 5-1 to LASK | Second-leg Champions League qualifying defeat |
| Recent League Cup meetings | Six Celtic wins since 2011 | Celtic’s unbeaten run against Rangers in the competition |
| O’Neill at Ibrox | 6 wins in 11 visits | Record as Celtic manager at Rangers’ home ground |
The domestic start has helped Celtic recover from their damaging Champions League qualifying elimination, when LASK won the second leg 5-1 to end their European hopes. Since then, the Hoops have restored momentum in league football and also came through a difficult midweek trip to St Johnstone, winning narrowly despite extensive changes to the starting side.
Sunday’s tie offers Celtic the chance to reach the semi-finals and continue an imposing League Cup record against their Glasgow rivals. They have won each of the clubs’ previous six meetings in the tournament dating back to 2011, while Celtic have not been knocked out at the quarter-final stage since 2009.
Former Celtic captain Scott Brown has identified an early goal as a potentially decisive factor in a stadium containing no away section, believing it could transfer pressure from the visitors to Rangers and their support.
O’Neill shares that view and expects the Ibrox atmosphere to be a significant element of the occasion. “If you take the lead, it can make them nervous,” he said. “Their crowd will support their side, as you would expect. We have to do what we can. It is a crowd capable of influencing the game.”
Celtic will seek to establish control early, retain possession and reduce the emotional momentum that can build in a derby of this scale. O’Neill’s own record in Govan offers encouragement, with six victories from 11 previous visits as manager.
With Hampden awaiting the winner, Celtic’s task is to turn their strong domestic form and recent League Cup dominance into another result at Ibrox, while Rangers look to halt a sequence that has favoured their rivals for more than a decade.
