Scottish Premiership preview: Rangers chase second as Celtic lead

Rangers head into their latest Scottish Premiership fixture looking to move into second place, with St Mirren currently ahead of them on goal difference after the Paisley club’s impressive opening to the campaign.

St Mirren manager Craig McLeish has received plenty of praise for introducing a more progressive and flexible approach, earning him the Premiership Manager of the Month award for August.

McLeish insists the team’s rapid progress has not come as a surprise internally, despite outsiders perhaps viewing their development as unexpected.

“There has always been a belief within the group about what we’re trying to achieve,” he said, while acknowledging that his side could have taken even more points from their early performances.

St Mirren already know exactly what Rangers can produce at Ibrox, having suffered a heavy defeat there in the Premier Sports Cup earlier this season.

James Penrice was one of the standout performers on that occasion. The Rangers full-back marked his debut with a goal and an assist during the five-goal victory.

Penrice has retained his place in the starting XI ever since, while Olwethu Makhanya and Emmanuel Fernandez have formed a consistent central-defensive partnership. Fernandez has occasionally been vulnerable to mistakes, but the settled back line has helped Rangers build momentum.

Motherwell offered little attacking threat during Saturday’s visit to Ibrox, although Rangers missed several opportunities to put the game beyond doubt.

That victory followed league successes against Aberdeen and Falkirk, with manager Derek McInnes believing his players are beginning to regain confidence.

McInnes, however, knows expectations will remain high until Rangers deliver silverware.

“The pressure probably doesn’t disappear until there is a trophy in your hands,” he said, although he believes the atmosphere around the club has improved through a series of positive results.

Rangers have suffered a setback with Lawrence Shankland’s injury coming just as the striker had started finding his scoring touch. That could put greater responsibility on new arrival Kevin Kelsy, who may be required to make an immediate impact rather than being given time to settle.

Rangers have edged their last two Premiership meetings with St Mirren, although the Buddies had previously gone four games unbeaten in this fixture.

St Mirren were competitive against Celtic at the weekend, particularly in their ability to control possession and move the ball through midfield, but they lacked the finishing quality required to take advantage of their promising play.

They will also be without Paul Nsio for the Rangers encounter because he is unavailable against his parent club. His absence could be significant given how Rangers dominated the midfield during the teams’ cup meeting last month.

Celtic, meanwhile, remain at the top of the Premiership after another victory, although Martin O’Neill’s side had to fight back after conceding the opening goal.

Yang Hyun-jun was central to the comeback, producing an energetic performance before scoring the winning goal. However, Celtic will now have to cope without him after the winger joined South Korea’s squad for the Asian Games.

O’Neill therefore faces a selection decision in attack. He may be unwilling to move Camilo Duran back onto the wing after the forward’s excellent spell through the middle, during which he has registered three goals and two assists across his last three appearances.

If Duran is retained centrally, Chelsea loanee Shim Mheuka could be handed his first Celtic start.

Of the six players Celtic brought in during the final two days of the transfer window, only Mheuka and Oliver Sorensen have made substitute appearances so far. Sebastian Tounekti could therefore be the most straightforward option to fill the vacancy created by Yang’s departure.

Kasper Hogh and Kieran Tierney could also return to the squad after recovering from minor injury problems.

The league leaders now travel to McDiarmid Park, where St Johnstone will attempt to make it three consecutive victories.

The Perth side are expected to adopt a possession-based approach similar to Celtic’s own style, something O’Neill believes could make for an intriguing contest.

“They want to play football and they are committed to it,” O’Neill said, praising the energy shown by the Saints and drawing comparisons with the football McLeish has introduced at St Mirren.

Josh Fowler has scored four goals this season, with three of them coming at McDiarmid Park. Taylor Steven has also impressed, particularly with his delivery from the right during the recent victory over Hibernian.

At the heart of the St Johnstone defence, Cheick Diabate and Zach Mitchell provide a physical presence and are not afraid to put their bodies on the line. However, the Saints are still waiting for their first league clean sheet of the campaign.

Manager Simo Valakari accepts that his side will need to combine their strong home performances with a touch of fortune if they are to overcome the champions.

He believes St Johnstone must execute their own game plan effectively while also taking advantage of the moments of luck that can prove decisive against a team of Celtic’s quality.

O’Neill’s previous managerial visit to Perth came 25 years ago, but Celtic will not need reminding that St Johnstone have caused them problems more recently.

The Saints stunned Celtic at home in April 2025, one of the few highlights of a campaign that ultimately ended with their relegation.

With Celtic leading the way and Rangers aiming to move into second, both fixtures could have a significant impact on the early Premiership standings.