There are few spectacles in world football quite like the Old Firm derby, and this latest edition at Celtic Park on Sunday, May 10, 2026, delivered all the drama, tension, and significance fans could hope for. With the Scottish Premiership title race reaching fever pitch, Celtic hosted Rangers in a clash that not only boasted historic rivalry, but also had seismic implications for the championship chase. Hearts, the current league leaders, had been held to a controversial 1-1 draw at Motherwell just a day prior, opening the door for Celtic to close the gap at the summit to a single point with a win over their greatest foes.
The stakes couldn’t have been higher for Martin O’Neill’s Celtic side. Entering the match four points adrift of Hearts, the reigning champions were desperate to keep their hopes of a record-breaking 56th league title alive. Meanwhile, Rangers, under Danny Rohl, were all but out of the title race after a damaging 2-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle earlier in the week, but the chance to derail Celtic’s ambitions was motivation enough for the blue half of Glasgow.
The build-up to the derby was electric. Celtic Park’s 60,000-plus capacity crowd was in full voice, the cauldron of Parkhead noise setting the tone for what would become a memorable afternoon. Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football provided live television coverage in the UK, while fans in the U.S. tuned in via CBS Sports Network and Paramount+. BBC Radio Scotland and talkSPORT kept those on the move updated with live commentary and reports.
Team news made for intriguing reading ahead of kick-off. Celtic were without several key players due to injury, including Colby Donovan, Julián Araujo, Kasper Schmeichel, Callum Osmand, Adam Montgomery, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and Jota. Tomas Cvancara was a late doubt with a groin issue. Martin O’Neill, however, made just one change from the previous weekend’s win at Hibs, bringing in Luke McCowan for Sebastian Tounekti on the wing. Daizen Maeda, fit again, started up front, while Kelechi Iheanacho had to settle for a spot on the bench.
For Rangers, Bailey Rice missed out with a muscle injury, and there was no place for Nico Raskin, replaced in the squad by Connor Barron. Tuur Rommens came in for Dujon Sterling, and Oliver Antman started in attack alongside Mikey Moore and Youssef Chermiti, who had been a thorn in Celtic’s side all season with four goals in two league appearances against the Hoops.
The match itself started at a frenetic pace, with both sides trading early blows. Rangers, who had not lost in six league meetings against Celtic (three wins, three draws), looked to continue their strong run at Parkhead, having won their previous two league visits. But it was Celtic who would seize the initiative in front of their raucous support. Daizen Maeda, who had endured a lengthy 17-game goal drought earlier in the campaign, was in inspired form. He opened the scoring with a sensational overhead kick, a strike that will live long in Old Firm folklore. The stadium erupted as Maeda’s acrobatics gave the hosts the lead and sent a clear message to Hearts: Celtic were not going down without a fight.
Rangers responded with determination, and Youssef Chermiti, aiming to become the first player ever to score five goals against Celtic in a single league season, threatened on several occasions. However, the Celtic defense, marshalled by Trusty and Scales, held firm. The visitors did manage to level the score, but Celtic’s resilience shone through as they regained control in the second half.
Martin O’Neill’s men pressed forward relentlessly, buoyed by the unity between players and fans. O’Neill later praised this connection, telling Sky Sports, “I thought the crowd were magnificent today, absolutely magnificent. A bit of unison, you know, which I think when we stepped in. Way back at the end of October, beginning of November time, didn’t seem to be there, but unison, that’s really important. So listen, just whatever sort of things are going on in the background, just leave them to the side at this minute. I actually think the crowd have pulled us over the line in a number of matches recently.”
As the game wore on, Celtic’s momentum grew. Maeda, whose work rate and pressing were lauded by his manager, struck again to restore the Hoops’ lead. “An extraordinary performance by him, really extraordinary,” O’Neill said. “First of all the negative part of the game, closing players down, is terrific, but then when with the ball, the goals he scored... his second goal was just unbelievable.”
With Rangers pushing for an equalizer, Celtic struck a decisive third goal to seal a 3-1 comeback victory. The final whistle was met with jubilation inside Celtic Park, as the champions cut the gap on Hearts to just one point. The latest standings saw Hearts on 77 points, Celtic on 76, and Rangers trailing with 69. The title race was now set for a dramatic conclusion, with just two matches remaining for each contender.
For Rangers, the defeat marked a third consecutive Old Firm loss and left manager Danny Rohl searching for answers. Speaking to Sky Sports, Rohl admitted, “Big disappointment. When you lose 3-1, I think the story is again and again the same. In the key moments we are not sharp enough to defend. I think in our box, two similar situations. I think then the third one was a great goal. All in all, to take something you have to play all the time with this consequence. In these small moments you have to be there to take something and we couldn’t. This is what we have to change in the future to take and to win such games.”
Looking ahead, the Premiership title race now hinges on the midweek fixtures. Hearts host Falkirk at Tynecastle, while Celtic travel to Fir Park to face Motherwell. If Hearts win and Celtic lose, the Jambos will claim their first league crown since 1960. Any other combination of results will set up a winner-takes-all showdown between Celtic and Hearts on the final day of the season at Celtic Park.
O’Neill, though, refused to look beyond the next challenge. “We’re still in it. We’re still fighting, and that’s the most important thing to come out of the game today,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of focus and momentum as the season reaches its thrilling climax.
With Hearts’ Champions League qualification now confirmed, all eyes turn to whether they can finish the job or if Celtic, buoyed by their Old Firm triumph, can overhaul them at the last. The Scottish Premiership title race remains wide open, and after a pulsating derby, the drama is far from over.