Rangers look outstanding value to at least keep things close in this encounter. While the Gers are far from a spectacular team, they are perhaps the most consistent side in the Premiership since the former Sheffield Wednesday boss took over. Not since the early days of his stewardship, in Europa League losses to Brann and Roma, have the Ibrox club lost by more than a single goal.

The Light Blues have particularly impressed defensively in the league. Across their last five league games, they have kept three clean sheets and have conceded only three goals in total. Meanwhile, they have only failed to score in a league game once under Rohl’s management.

Combine this with Celtic’s propensity to miss what chances they create – the Hoops rank 8th in the Premiership for big chance conversion – and the fact that Rangers are undefeated over 90 minutes in their last six encounters against their Glasgow rivals, and this points to a competitive match.

The opening Old Firm derby of the season might have finished goalless at Ibrox back in August, but a very different match is expected to that tepid encounter. Wilfried Nancy’s presence in the Celtic dugout should ensure that this is a far more open and entertaining fixture, with the Frenchman’s 3-4-3 formation seeing the Hoops create a high number of scoring chances while also leaving themselves dramatically exposed at the back at times.

Indeed, six of the seven matches he has overseen have produced at least three goals, with the exception of the midweek loss against Motherwell at Fir Park.

Celtic’s defensive frailties have virtually guaranteed goals in their matches. Indeed, they have conceded at least two goals in six of Nancy’s seven games.

While Rangers have thrived defensively under Rohl, four of their last six league games have produced at least three goals, and they have netted in each of their last seven.

Yang finds himself slotted into the right wing-back role under Nancy’s formation, with the 23-year-old asked to do a good deal more defensive work than he might be used to. One aspect of the tactics that Celtic are playing is that they leave themselves exposed down that flank, and it would be little surprise to see Rangers try to exploit this area.

The former Gangwon player could well find himself scrambling defensively at times, and it may be that he is either drawn into a foul or forced to commit a tactical one. Given that he may well be up against Djeidi Gassama, who has drawn 2.71 fouls per 90 this season, this appears likely.

Yang has committed at least one foul in each of his two previous home league matches under Nancy, and it would be surprising if this trend were bucked in the high-octane Old Firm atmosphere.

Belgium international Nicolas Raskin is a magnet when it comes to committing fouls, and that trend should be expected to continue on Saturday.

The 24-year-old leads Rangers with 41 fouls in all competitions, including 1.99 per 90 when it comes to playing in the Premiership.

He went through a quiet spell in a disciplinary manner in the middle part of the season, yet under Danny Rohl has returned to his usual combative self. He has committed at least two fouls in seven of his last eight starts for Rangers, which is a run that includes six straight Premiership games.

Raskin did not play against Celtic in the league earlier this season, but committed at least two fouls in each of his last couple of Premiership meetings against them last term, including two at Celtic Park in March.

Having been taken off only once in one of his last 10 Rangers stats (after 76 minutes against Dundee United), he is likely to play the duration of this game.

Rangers look an excellent price to have at least four shots on target at Celtic Park. Their hosts have a defence that is extremely leaky, with the open nature of their play inviting opposing teams to muster a high number of shots.

Although the Hoops have actually given up fewer shots on target than any other team in the league (56), there is strong evidence that this trend is changing.

Celtic have allowed at least 10 shots in total in each of their last six matches in all competitions. In four of those games, their opponents have managed at least four shots on target. The exceptions were against a wasteful Aberdeen side and the Premiership’s bottom team in the form of Livingston, who still managed three efforts on target.

For Rangers’ part, they have mustered at least four shots on target in six of their last seven Premiership matches and lead the league when it comes to shots on target with 107 – 5.63 per game.

Old Firm games are notorious for being fiery affairs, with the recent League Cup semi-final between the clubs producing eight cards in normal time plus a couple in extra time.

One of those to be booked was Celtic midfielder Arne Engels, who is a player likely to catch the attention of Steven McLean in this fixture. Overall, this season, he has seen a card on six occasions in 28 games and ranks 2nd among Celtic players this season in terms of Premiership cautions, with four.

Left out of the starting XI to face Motherwell in midweek, he was likely being primed to get the full 90 minutes for this game, which is expected to be a blood-and-thunder affair in the midfield, where he will be up against the likes of Nico Raskin, Thelo Aasgaard and Mohamed Diomande, who have won an aggregate 67 fouls in the league this season.

The open nature of Celtic’s defence means that any indiscretion from the midfielders threatens to be heavily punished, and Engels could be a victim of this.

Centre back Fernandez to have at least one shot on target could be the best value bet available for this match. The summer signing has become a major target for Rangers’ attacking set pieces, which is an area of the game that Celtic have been notoriously poor at defending this season.

While big questions have been asked of the 24-year-old Englishman’s defensive abilities, he has come into the squad lately because of injury and international commitments and has evolved into a significant attacking menace.

Fernandez ranks 8th among all Rangers for shots on target in the league this season with five, and has had one in three of his last four starts. In the exception, the loss away to Hearts, he still managed three shots overall. Indeed, he has had some kind of effort at goal in each of his last 10 Rangers starts, highlighting just how promising a price this is.