Derek McInnes leads Rangers into his first Old Firm derby as manager today (Sunday, 13 September), 30 years after his journey with the Ibrox club first began.

The Light Blues host Celtic at Ibrox in a high-stakes Scottish League Cup quarter-final at 12 PM, marking the very first clash between the Glasgow rivals this season as well as McInnes’ tactical debut in Scottish football’s marquee fixture.

Earlier, there were fears that McInnes may have to watch the game from the stands amid his three-game suspension, but having already served the ban, he is in line to be on the touchline this afternoon.

This is how we would line up against Celtic. What would your starting XI look like?

Derek McInnes won both his games vs Celtic as a Rangers player

As a Rangers player under legendary managers Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat, McInnes maintained a flawless winning record against Celtic.

He featured as a starter in midfield during a crucial 1-0 victory at Parkhead in November 1996 under Smith, came off the bench during a resounding 3-0 triumph under Advocaat in May 1999, and started in the 1-0 Scottish Cup final victory at Hampden later that month.

Additionally, McInnes was an unused substitute in September 1996 when Rangers beat Celtic at Ibrox, meaning every single derby matchday squad he belonged to as a Rangers player ended in victory.

Across 61 career meetings as a manager with St Johnstone, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, and Hearts, McInnes has secured 10 victories and four draws against Celtic.

While his broader head-to-head record reflects decades of managing underdog sides with limited resources against one of Scotland’s most dominant sides, his recent tactical record tells a far more encouraging story for the Ibrox faithful.

During his recent spell at Hearts, McInnes proved particularly difficult for Celtic to break down, suffering only a single defeat across four competitive encounters.

Dan Purdy has stepped down as Rangers’ Technical Director!

What do you make of this move?

Backed by a roaring Ibrox crowd this afternoon, McInnes will aim to replicate his tactical resilience and big-game structure to seal a semi-final berth and extend his personal winning legacy in this historic fixture.

By the end of this month, McInnes would have a 100 per cent record against Celtic in Old Firm derbies after five encounters.