Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill is preparing for his second game since returning to the club, as the Hoops face Rangers in the Scottish League Cup semi-final at Hampden Park on Sunday, 2 November (Kick-off: 14:00 GMT).

Despite his legendary first Old Firm victory being remembered as the “Demolition Derby”, O’Neill says he would happily settle for a narrow 1-0 win this time around.

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“Demolition Derby” Memories

O’Neill’s first spell at Celtic included a famous 6-2 win over Rangers, which helped launch a season that would see Celtic complete a domestic treble. Speaking ahead of Sunday’s clash, the 73-year-old reflected on the historic match:

“Replicating that might be extremely difficult – scoring six goals against that side. I’d settle for a really lousy 1-0 victory if we could get it. Obviously fond memories, it was great. And it did give us a real springboard for that season.”

O’Neill also recalled that despite that victory, Rangers had previously dominated Celtic at Ibrox, emphasizing the psychological resilience needed to succeed in the Old Firm.

“It became a really pivotal match for us, not just that season, but probably for continuing on.”

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Current Celtic Context

O’Neill returned to Celtic after Brendan Rodgers resigned, with the club trailing Heart of Midlothian in the league and facing unrest over a disappointing summer transfer window.

“This is a big game for us. Any Celtic-Rangers game is a big game, but particularly given the circumstances of recent days, if not weeks, absolutely,” O’Neill said.

In his first Celtic spell, O’Neill won 16 of 27 Old Firm derbies, drawing three and losing eight. However, his record at Hampden was less dominant, with only one win in four previous League Cup meetings against Rangers.

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Confidence Restored After Falkirk Win

O’Neill’s return began with a 4-0 league victory over Falkirk, which he said restored confidence in the squad:

“I learned a great deal at the Falkirk game, which was great for us – a restoration of confidence. So we’ll go into this game with that confidence, and that’s the most important thing.”

The manager acknowledged that gauging the players’ capabilities after just one game in charge is challenging:

“Even if I was here a month, it would be really hard to gauge exactly what the players can do.”

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Rangers’ New Leadership

On the other side, Rangers are managed by Danny Rohl, making only his fourth appearance as head coach. O’Neill praised Rohl’s work at previous clubs:

“I’ve heard a lot of good things. Players at Sheffield Wednesday were very complimentary about him. They’ll be going into the game with plenty of confidence themselves.”

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League Cup Semi-Final: Match Details

• Fixture: Celtic vs Rangers
• Competition: Scottish League Cup Semi-Final
• Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow
• Date & Time: Sunday, 2 November, 14:00 GMT
• Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio Scotland & Sounds; live text updates on BBC Sport website & app