Charlie Nicholas is backing Celtic to edge out Rangers in a pulsating derby thriller this weekend.
The Glasgow rivals will meet for the first time this season with both sides bang in-form - and the pundit expects goals galore. Celtic battered Dundee United in an astonishing 9-0 rout on Sunday, while Rangers smashed four past Ross County as they breezed back into domestic action after beating PSV to qualify for the Champions League last midweek.
Saturday's meeting at Celtic Park could hardly be more delicately poised as Ange Postecoglou and Giovanni van Bronckhorst prepare to pit their wits against each other again. Rangers were on the end of a bruising 3-0 defeat the last time they visited the home of their rivals but did win the previous meeting between the teams - a Scottish Cup semi-final victory at Hampden. And while Nicholas has tipped the Ibrox side to give a better account of themselves this time around at Celtic Park, he reckons the reigning champions' firepower will see them prevail.
He wrote in his Scottish Daily Express column: "Celtic v Rangers is always box office but this Saturday's lunchtime derby is shaping up to be something else. It'll not finish 0-0, put it that way. Ange Postecoglou's side don't know any other way to play than on the front foot.
"But there's still a vulnerability to their defence that they get away with because the rest of the league are scared of them. Rangers won't be, though. Giovanni van Bronckhorst has proven himself to be a master of adapting his team to situations.
"They might sit in for the first 15-20 minutes but they won't be afraid to have a go after that. Rangers have physicality in midfield, quality in wide areas and Antonio Colak has started the season really well.Their full-backs are vulnerable to pace but if they get forward and pin Celtic back they are capable of doing damage.
"However, I think Celtic will have too much up front with the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi, Jota and Liel Abada. This could go either way but I'm edging towards a 3-2 win for Celtic."
Nicholas admits that while Celtic put on an undeniable show at Tannadice at the weekend, he felt embarrassed by the demolition dished out to Jack Ross' struggling Terrors. He claims the result is a "horrendous" look for the Premiership, likewise with Liverpool beating Bournemouth by the same scoreline in England.
And he fears that with Celtic and Rangers both banking Champions League riches that the gap will only grow further, leading to such results on a more regular basis. However, he stressed other clubs also have the responsibility to step up. Nicholas said: "That's humiliating for United and horrendous for the Premiership too.
"Before kick-off,TV viewers up and down the country must have been thinking, 'Dundee United have a decent coach in Jack Ross and a good squad of players - this might actually be a decent game'. As much as it was a fabulous performance from Celtic, it was embarrassing to see the enormity of the gulf between the sides.
"It was another sign that the gap between the Old Firm and the rest is getting bigger and it makes me fear these results could become more common. And with Celtic and Rangers both guaranteed Champions League millions they could soon be out of sight.
"I would never expect domestic visitors to Celtic Park or Ibrox to open up because it would just be asking for trouble. But teams have to be bold enough to have a go at the big two in front of their own supporters.
"The worrying thing is that Dundee United were passengers in Sunday's game. All clubs have a responsibility to make the Premiership more exciting and not just sit back and be happy to gobble up solidarity payments because the Old Firm are doing well in Europe.They have to help sell the game too."
