Celtic manager Martin O'Neill prepares for what may be his final Old Firm derby with Daizen Maeda fit to play against Rangers.
Interim manager Martin O'Neill is set to manage what appears to be his last Old Firm match as his team aims for victory over Rangers on Sunday to stay in the title race.
Preparing for his first derby at Celtic Park in over two decades, O'Neill confirmed that standout forward Daizen Maeda has recovered from a minor injury sustained last weekend.
With just three league games left, the defending champions sit three points behind Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts, who face Motherwell on Saturday with a stronger goal difference.
Rangers currently trail the summit by seven points.
O'Neill believes the looming threat of losing the title is pushing his players harder than ever.
I told the players, We haven't been in this position in recent years. Usually, we have gone clear and faced little opposition.
This year has been different, with competition not just from Rangers but also from Hearts. It's a significant shift that many of these players have never experienced before.
You have to adapt. When you're chasing, you just keep chasing.
Maeda, last season's top scorer with four goals in his last three appearances, played through injury last Sunday's 2-1 win at Hibernian but left the pitch in discomfort.
O'Neill shared, He's fine, which is really good news. He trained today with no issues and has had an outstanding couple of weeks.
The interim manager added that Maeda is fully ready for Sunday's crucial showdown.
Celtic have now strung together four straight league wins, while Rangers have dropped their last two matches and fallen further behind the leaders.
Notably, Rangers won their last visit to Celtic Park in January under Wilfried Nancy's management.
When asked about creating the right momentum heading into the derby, O'Neill expressed caution, stating he genuinely doesn't know.
The games we've played have been tough, so I haven't analyzed it much. We've just managed to get through them.
I think the Old Firm game tends to take care of itself.
On his potential departure, O'Neill replied most likely when questioned if this would be his final derby as manager.
He also reflected on the unique intensity and atmosphere of the fixture, saying, The intensity and atmosphere at both Celtic Park and Ibrox are phenomenal.
Ibrox when they score early feels like any top atmosphere in Britain and probably Europe.
I think the same could be said for Sunday.