Rangers vs Celtic lands Super Sunday top billing as it leads Man Utd showpiece

Rangers’ crunch title derby against Celtic next month will top the Sky Sports billing on Super Sunday.

The Ibrox outfit take on their fierce rivals knowing the winners of that game will be in a strong position to lift the trophy at the end of the season with not all that long to go by way of fixtures remaining. Philippe Clement’s troops are in fine form albeit one point behind Brendan Rodgers’ with a game in hand after their Dundee clash was postponed until three days after the derby.

The battle is scheduled for midday on April 7 with no match scheduled in Sky’s traditional 1.30pm slot. That means it’s the Premiership blockbuster that will lead football fans into the 3.30pm game at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Liverpool.

The usual EPL double header won’t be in place and that should mean more eyes on Scotland’s big one.

Chris Sutton delivers exciting Celtic assessment

Celtic’s injury problems this season have been extensive.

Although there has been valid criticism of transfer activity, player performance and the job Brendan Rodgers has done since returning to the club – it is undeniable that the injuries and fitness have played a big part in how the season has turned out.

Now though, the skies are clearing on that front and former striker Chris Sutton reckons Rodgers is closing in on getting his best eleven on the pitch – just in time for the league and cup double push.

The Bhoys have a maximum of ten games left in the season. That’s eight Scottish Premiership fixtures plus a semi-final and a potential final in the Scottish Cup.

Despite all the chatter and issues this term, Celtic can still go on and complete the double. Can the returning players fire them to glory?

Chris Sutton on Celtic returns

Sutton thinks it’s a possibility, writing in the Daily Record [23/03 print edition]: “Keep Kyogo on form, keep Cameron Carter-Vickers fit and add that midfield trio [of Hatate, McGregor and O’Riley] and Rodgers could go into the final two months with as powerful a selection hand as he’s held all term.

“Potentially, if Celtic can get through the Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen, there are 10 games left in their season. Every single one of them promises to be massive and it is going to take big game players.

“Having them all his disposal through until the end of May would be perfect timing for him. The equation is pretty simple for Celtic. Win all 10 of those remaining games starting at Livingston next weekend and the Premiership and Scottish Cup double is theirs.

“It’s a big period and it calls for stars who can make it happen. Hatate and McGregor are two who can shine more than any in the country.”

Hatate ramped up his recovery from injury by featuring for a half in a recent bounce game at Lennoxtown which bodes well for his involvement after the international break.

He could get minutes away to Livingston before being included in some capacity against Rangers at Ibrox.

McGregor is also expected to be back shortly after the current break, though his return date is a little more nebulous at this point.

If Celtic can truly put these injury issues behind them at this critical stage of the season, going on a ten-game winning-streak isn’t out of the equation. And that’s something to be excited about.

Reo Hatate times Celtic return for title run in as bounce game tester tees him up for Rangers tussle

Reo Hatate has stepped up his Celtic return for the title race run in with 45 minutes in a bounce game.

The Japanese hasn’t played featured since the winter break after suffering a double calf injury while away on Asian Cup duty with Japan. In his absence, the champions saw their lead at the top of the Premiership table evaporate as Rangers overtook them, but have since regained top spot after beating St Johnstone at the weekend while Gers trip to Dundee was a washout and will be played next month.

And Hatate could be back in business by then after playing 45 minutes in a scratch game against St Mirren at the Hoops’ Lennoxtown training base on Wednesday. Assuming he suffers no adverse reaction to playing in the 2-2 draw with the Buddies, then he could well be in Brendan Rodgers’ squad for their return to domestic action away to Livingston a week on Sunday.

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Imagine if that was a Celtic handball yesterday

Brendan Rodgers now has the perfect evidence to present at his SFA hearing…

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers arrives prior to the Cinch Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and St. Johnstone FC at Celtic Park Stadium on March 16, 2024 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Yesterday’s game at Celtic Park against St Johnstone was filled with yet more VAR controversy. Despite us winning the game in a comfortable fashion we still had a few legitimate complaints when it came to the much maligned technology.

None more so than the incident in the first half with the game still goalless when a St Johnstone player seemed to block a shot on the goal line with his elbow. Yes the elbow is part of the arm as far as I know, and despite it going to a VAR review it was deemed legitimate! “No handball” was their verdict.

It doesn’t matter that he didn’t know anything about it as it was going in the net, yes the player stopped a net bound shot with a part of his arm. Surely within the rules of the game that is a penalty kick?

Remember last season when we conceded two spot kicks at home to Dundee United and Ross County? Case one was for the ball hitting Alexandro Bernabei on the back of the arm when he didn’t know anything about it.

In the second instance it was Matt O’Riley being penalised for the ball bouncing off his arm just inside the box. Both incidents were sent to VAR and adjudged to be penalties. You can see our frustration.

Our biggest gripe though is the Tomoki Iwata incident at Tynecastle just a fortnight ago. The ball accidentally hits his arm after he was nudged by his own teammate just inside the penalty area. Nowhere near the goal I may add, and yet the VAR team adjudged it to be worthy of a spot kick. He was facing the other way. His eyes were closed. He was barged in the bag as three players jumped for the ball.  He had zero knowledge that the penalty was give for his hand-ball offence and only found out in the dressing room at half time.

This is where it gets interesting. Brendan Rodgers is up in front of the SFA on a charge of making remarks about the officials, namely John Beaton. Brendan’s only ‘crime’ was calling Beaton ‘incompetent’ well that’s mild to what most of us have called him, but Brendan has now got evidence of his own now to put before the beaks.

Exhibit A your honour. “Incompetence has many meanings and one of them is that you aren’t doing your job efficiently or correctly. Before me I have footage of an incident at our last game, an incident similar to the one I have been accused of calling for clarity on.

“The footage shows said incident much more punishable according to the laws of the game, yet it was judged by the officials after having a quick look to be a ‘legal’ act.

“The incident that caused me to be up before you was in a similar if not lesser instance, yet I have been charged for making that point. Yes I called the official in question incompetent, but judging by this footage and the rules of the game doesn’t that make said official incompetent as he clearly went against the rules of the game?

“Either that or the officials on Saturday are guilty of incompetence and went against the rules of the game. So which is it to be your honour? Case closed.”

Another point, had that been a Celtic player, say the unfortunate Tomoki Iwata, standing on the Celtic goal-line with the ball hitting him in exactly the same spot…it goes to VAR for a review, their decision and the outcome would have been one of two alternatives:

1. No penalty, no handball as was the outcome yesterday
2. Penalty to St Johnstone and a red card for the Celtic player, with a one match ban. Celtic’s subsequent failed appeal would see that double to a two match ban.

Which option do you think VAR would have reached yesterday had it been a ball to arm situation on the Celtic goal-line preventing a St Johnstone goal?

Just an Ordinary Bhoy