📊 What the Data Tells Us:

Winning the Scottish Premiership requires consistent excellence across all key performance areas, something Celtic have delivered year after year, securing the title in each of the last three seasons. The league has long been a duopoly, dominated by Celtic and Rangers, who regularly finish well clear of the rest. However, in recent seasons, Celtic have established a clear edge over their Glasgow rivals, consistently finishing top by a comfortable margin.

With third place rarely threatening to break this two-team stronghold, the most meaningful comparison lies between first and second. This article examines the average performance metrics of Celtic and Rangers over the past three seasons, identifying the statistical trends that have allowed Celtic to pull away and maintain their grip on the Premiership title.

⚽ Dominating Possession and Passing

A key part of Celtic’s game is to dominate possession, averaging 673 passes per game compared to Rangers’ 544. Their average possession stands at 68.5% versus 61.8% for Rangers, allowing them to control the tempo and limit opponents’ attacking opportunities.

Celtic also completed their passes with greater precision, recording an average accuracy of 87.2% while Rangers averaged 84.7%. They tend to use longer passing sequences as well, averaging 6.4 passes per possession, compared to Rangers’ 5, which highlights their superior ball retention.

⚡ Efficiency in Attack

Attacking efficiency separates Celtic from their Glasgow rivals; they have averaged 2.82 goals per match, outperforming Rangers’ 2.28, despite taking slightly fewer shots per game at 17.8 compared to Rangers’ 18.5. Crucially, Celtic were more accurate, hitting the target with 40.1% of their shots, while Rangers managed 37.5%.

A key factor behind this difference is shot selection. Rangers attempted more efforts from outside the 18-yard box, averaging 7.6 per match compared to Celtic’s 6.4. This highlights Rangers’ tendency to shoot earlier or from less favourable positions, while Celtic are more patient, working the ball into better positions before pulling the trigger.

🛑 Defensive Solidarity

Defensive strength is a hallmark of champions. Celtic conceded just 0.79 goals per match, compared to Rangers’ 0.96. Their proactive defensive approach reduced the number of high-pressure situations, as evidenced by a lower Passes Per Defensive Action (PPDA) of 6.8 compared to the Rangers’ 7.8. This suggests Celtic regained possession more quickly, giving opponents less time to create quality chances.

Interestingly, Celtic did not achieve this by making more defensive actions, averaging 31.9 interceptions compared to Rangers’ 35.5, and 12.8 clearances versus 15. Instead, they relied on dominating possession to prevent pressure from building. They achieved this by winning the ball higher up the pitch, averaging 17.4 recoveries in the attacking third compared to Rangers’ 16.2.

🚩 Set-Piece Proficiency

Set-pieces are one area where Rangers consistently outperform Celtic. While the gap between the two teams is smaller here than in other aspects, Rangers hold the edge in both free-kick and corner efficiency. Celtic win more corners per game, averaging 8.7 to Rangers’ 7.2, but convert just 25.4% of these into shots compared to Rangers’ 31.2%. Rangers also win more free-kicks, with 2.2 per match to Celtic’s 1.3, and convert 21.4% of these into shots, while Celtic manage only 12%.

Although these figures suggest Rangers are more effective from set-piece situations, it could be argued that their approach is slightly riskier, increasing the chance of turning over the ball to the opposition. Celtic, on the other hand, often prioritise possession, using set-pieces more cautiously to maintain control.

💪 Physical and Tactical Discipline

Celtic consistently demonstrated greater discipline, committing fewer fouls per game at 9.9 compared to Rangers’ 10.7. They also averaged fewer yellow cards at 1.08 versus 1.54, and fewer red cards at 0.04 compared to 0.09.

A key factor behind Rangers’ poorer disciplinary record is their higher number of defensive actions, as previously discussed. This is reflected in areas such as sliding tackles, where Rangers average 2.2 per match compared to Celtic’s 1.4, challenges that often carry a higher risk of conceding fouls or receiving cards.

⏱️ 2024-2025 Season

The 2024-25 campaign marked the biggest points gap between Celtic and Rangers over the past three seasons, highlighting just how dominant Celtic were. This section examines the season more closely to explore where Celtic pulled furthest ahead.

Celtic averaged 2.95 goals per match, comfortably ahead of Rangers’ 2.11. Despite similar shot volumes, with 17.4 for Celtic and 17.8 for Rangers, Celtic were more clinical, recording a higher shot accuracy of 39.7% compared to Rangers’ 37.1%, which led to more efficient goal conversion.

The most striking difference came in defence, where Celtic conceded just 0.68 goals per match, nearly half of Rangers’ 1.08. This was once again driven by superior defensive control, as evidenced by a lower PPDA of 7.2 compared to the Rangers’ 9.2. They also dominated possession, averaging 70.8% compared to Rangers’ 60.8%, meaning the opposition rarely got given a chance to attack the Celtic defence. All resulting in Celtic allowing just 6.9 shots against per game to Rangers’ 8.7.

Celtic also improved their discipline this season compared to the three-year average, finishing without a single red card, this was the only time in the past three seasons either Old Firm side managed that, and they averaged just 0.87 yellow cards per match.

In possession, Celtic were more precise and controlled, averaging 7.24 passes per possession compared to Rangers’ 4.96, underlining their midfield dominance. They also played more conservatively in the middle third, losing the ball only 33.2 times per game compared to Rangers’ 36.6. This gave opponents fewer opportunities to launch quick attacks, while Rangers’ looser control often left their defence exposed before it could properly regroup.

🗒️ Summary

Celtic’s recent dominance in the Scottish Premiership has been built on consistent superiority across all key areas of performance. Their ability to control possession, create high-quality chances, and maintain defensive discipline has repeatedly set them apart from Rangers.

In the 2024–25 season alone, they averaged 70.8% possession and conceded just 0.68 goals per match, which is the clearest reflection yet of their all-round control. While Rangers hold an edge in set-piece efficiency, Celtic’s overall structure, patience in possession, and tactical discipline continue to define what it takes to win the title.

* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets.

* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.