Celtic fans will have taken note of a significant change ahead of the upcoming derby at Ibrox: Rangers will be without their first-choice goalkeeper, Jack Butland. The Englishman, who has been a regular for the Light Blues this season, was hospitalised on Hogmanay due to what has been described as a “significant internal bleed,” according to The Herald.
The 31-year-old keeper spent the night under medical care before being discharged earlier on New Year’s Day but is not deemed fit to take his place in goal for the Glasgow derby. While Rangers fans may see this as a setback, many Celtic supporters will not view this as a blow for their rivals. Butland has been under heavy criticism for his performances in recent weeks, particularly in Rangers’ 2-2 draw with Motherwell at the weekend, where his errors were highlighted.
Indeed, some Celtic fans were content with the idea of Butland starting the derby, given his struggles in previous Glasgow derbies. in fact, Celtic have faced backup keepers on a few occasions recently, with those stand-ins often outperforming their first-choice counterparts. This will likely temper any sense of overconfidence among the Hoops faithful.
In Butland’s absence, summer signing Liam Kelly will take the gloves for only the second time this season. The 27-year-old, a Rangers youth academy graduate, returned to Ibrox after spells at Queen’s Park Rangers and Motherwell. His sole appearance this term came in December, when he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over Dundee after Butland pulled out of the match due to a personal matter.
While Kelly lacks regular game time for Rangers, he does bring Premiership experience from his time at Motherwell. However, stepping into the intensity of a Glasgow derby will be a significant test of his composure and ability to handle pressure.
For Celtic, the focus will remain on their own performance as they look to assert their dominance at the top of the league. However, with a backup goalkeeper between the posts for their rivals, it’s another potential storyline in what promises to be a captivating clash at Ibrox.
