REFEREE AND VAR:The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has appointed experienced officials for the upcoming Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers at Parkhead on Saturday.

Kevin Clancy will serve as the match referee, assisted by David McGeachie and Ross Macleod, with John Beaton acting as the fourth official. Nick Walsh will oversee Video Assistant Referee (VAR) duties, supported by Daniel McFarlane .

This fixture marks the fourth meeting between the two Glasgow giants this season, with Celtic holding a commanding 16-point lead at the top of the Premiership table. A victory for Celtic would bring them closer to securing their 53rd league title. Rangers, under interim manager Barry Ferguson, are aiming to close the gap and revive their title aspirations .

The officiating appointments come amid heightened scrutiny following recent controversies. Notably, in the previous derby at Celtic Park, Rangers contested a VAR decision involving a potential handball by Celtic’s Alistair Johnston. The SFA maintained that the incident was a subjective call and not a clear and obvious error requiring review, expressing disappointment over Rangers’ public response and rejecting their request to exclude VAR official Willie Collum from future matches involving the club .

With both teams having experienced mixed fortunes in recent derbies, including a 3-0 victory for Rangers in January, this upcoming clash is poised to be another intense encounter in the storied rivalry.