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By David Sharp
1435: I'm afraid that's all for today folks. Thanks for your lively banter.
My weary paws are numb after all that frenzied typing. At times I was like Jack Nicholson in The Shining when he's tapping away madly on his typewriter in the Colorado Lounge at the Overlook Hotel, like a man possessed...
Bye for now.
1434: "See 1348: Cool, a new Broadfoot flick for the kids to try out down the park later." donkamero on My Sport Join the debate
Ha ha! I like it! You could do yourself some serious damage attempting to replicate Broadfoot's audacious trickery...you can watch it again on this website from midnight tonight...
If you're reading this kids - don't try that one at home!
1432: Our pundits on BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound programme have plumped for Artur Boruc as their top dog today. Who was your man of the match? Shunsuke Nakamura has a top score of 6.83 on the BBC's Player Rater. You can still cast your vote here:
1431: I hope Scott Brown is ok; the Celtic midfielder was left dazed and confused after that horrendous collision with McGregor.
1428: So, as the dust settles at Parkhead, Celtic retain their two point lead over Rangers at the top.
On immediate reflection, both managers will probably be reasonably content to take a point from today's match. With 13 games remaining there are plenty of points still up for grabs and myriad potential banana skins along the way...
1427: And the effervescent Steven Davis had an excellent game for Rangers.
1426: Under-fire keeper Artur Boruc kept Celtic in the game with a pair of top-class reaction saves from Weir and his own player, McManus.
1425: Hmmm, not the prettiest footballing spectacle - in fact it was, for long periods at least, utter guff, especially in the first half - but Rangers dominated the second 45 and will think themselves unlucky not to snatch all three points. The Ibrox men had far more guile going forward than their ancient adversary.
Ach well, you can't have everything. Where would you put it?
1424: Celtic have now dropped nine points in their last five league games. But they're still top of the league. You do the math.
1423: And it's all over! The match ends in a goalless stalemate. Is there any other kind of stalemate?
1421: Samaras, head down, with steam coming out his ears, rampages forward like a wild bull through the streets of Pamplona, but is stopped in his tracks by a gang of Rangers players. Two minutes of added time to play.
1419: Free-kick specialist Nakamura shapes to take a free-kick 25-yards out on the left-hand side of the Rangers box after Naismith fouls the Japanese. He curls it round the wall but McGregor catches easily. That could be the last chance of the match.
1417: McCulloch, with all the grace of a fairy elephant, clambers up Paul Hartley's back with far less athleticism than Donald O'Connor in Singing in the Rainwhen he ran up that wall. The clumsy Ger is booked for his arch oafishness.
1416: Davis floats a ball in the direction of Miller but it drifts harmlessly wide for a goal kick.
1415: As it stands Celtic will stay top of the SPL table by two points.
1413: A dubious corner decision by Calum Murray sends Barry Ferguson into an apoplectic rage and he gets a yellow card for his futile protests.
Samaras appeared to run the ball out of play as he tussled with Ferguson but Murray sees it differently and awards a corner to Celtic.
1410: Brown is being led off by Celtic's medical team. His Old Firm derby is over. Marc Crosas comes on in his place.
1408: Scott Brown collides with Allan McGregor and lies prone on the ground. That was a nasty one. McGregor went right over the top of Brown as they vied for an aerial ball.
Thankfully Brown gets to his feet and walks gingerly off the field of play, looking dazed. Wee cartoon birds will be tweeting in his head and he'll be seeing stars after that one.
1406: It's all Rangers at the moment but they can't make the breakthrough. Mendes' rasping shot is blocked and then Boruc pulls off a great point-blank save from Weir's header.
1404: Brown and Naismith tussle on the touchline and both get an artistic score of zero and a yellow card from the Edinburgh judge.
That was harsh on the young Rangers forward. Brown hauled him to the ground in some kind of bizarre judo-waltz.
As the two wrestling dancers square up, an unlikely peacemaker arrives on the scene in the rotund shape of Celtic keeper Artur Boruc...
1402: Kyle Girafferty extends hisInspector Gadget-like telescopic legs as he stretches out on the turf. The big striker has run himself into the ground and is suffering from cramp. Steven Naismith trots on to replace him.
1400: "The other derby on the Beeb today had better be a great improvement on this! Maybe I can get some commission or something for promoting the Milan derby tonight?" You Cescy Thing on My Sport reminds us that one of Italian football's big derbies is on BBC Three at 1900 GMT Join the debate
1358: Neat interplay in the Celtic box, with Davis' lovely back-heel finding Miller who explodes into the six-yard box like a ferret up a drainpipe but then curls his left-foot shot miles wide with McManus all over him like a rash.
That kind of sloppy finishing is so out of character for the normally clinical Rangers and Scotland striker. Not. Did McManus illegally impede Miller there? Faint case for a penalty but I reckon Miller had already pulled the trigger before the Celtic skipper wheeched his legs away.
1356: Rangers break at lightning speed and Miller arrows the ball across the front of the Celtic box to the on-rushing Davis, but the ball just eludes the little midfielder with Nakamura breathing down his neck. The Japanese player made an incredible lung-bursting run to track Davis there. Brilliant stuff!
1355: After a period of sustained pressure from Rangers at the start of the second half the pendulum has swung in Celtic's favour. The wild-haired Greek, Samaras, is already in the thick of the action.
1354: "McCulloch looks laboured in his movement but he's doing a spoiling job in front of the back four and that's what he's there for." BBC Radio Scotland commentator David Begg
1352: Gordon Strachan completes the aforementioned tinkering.
1351: Celtic are poised to make a double substitution. Vennegoor of Castlemilk and Flood will make way for Samaras and McGeady
1350: Kenny Miller bounds on to replace John Fleck.
1349: A high punt finds Lafferty 18 yards from the Celtic goal. He nods the ball into Ferguson's path but he blazes it high over the bar. The Gers captain required more composure there.
1348: An outrageous Cruyff-esque turn by Broadfoot and the gamboling Rangers full-back is halted in his tracks by Hinkel. Fleck's free-kick strikes Naylor in the Celtic wall.
1346: Davis feeds Lafferty who lollops into the Celtic box but his weak right-footed shot is straight at Boruc. That was powder puff. Are Lafferty's feet made of pillows?
1345: Ferguson finds Mendes on the left-hand side of the Celtic box and the Portuguese playmaker's neat back-flick is collected by McCulloch in full flight but his shot is deflected off Caldwell's back and bounces clear.
1344: Ferguson sends a Moon-bound pass into the stratosphere giving Lafferty no chance of collecting the ball. Poor play from the Rangers captain. Are his powers fading? Join the debate
1340: One-man band Bougherra jinks (yes, jinks!) past two players on the right wing and sends a lovely cross into the Celtic box where Stephen McManus launches himself at the ball and forces Boruc into a terrific stop from his flying header. That was almost an own goal from the Celtic skipper! But Boruc saves his bacon.
1338: Bougherra hustles McDonald onto the running track. Nakamura's free-kick is hoofed clear.
1336: Celtic full-back Lee Naylor's long throw is nodded clear by Madjid Bougherra and falls for Paul Hartley on the edge of the box but his snap-shot twists wide of goal.
1335: And we're away again! Fingers crossed for better fare in this second 45...
1333: "This is Tesco Value football...looks like football, but somehow unsatisfying!" Neil, Fife via text on 80295
If football was butter it would be, 'I can't believe it's not football.'
1331: "Highlight of the game? The River Detectives song at half time!" Robert, East Kilbride via text on 80295
Did The River Detectives have any highlights? You'll be telling me you're a massive fan of Deacon Blue's third album next...
1329: "Walter Smith has now shown he has the perfect tactic to, A. Send people to sleep, B. Ensure a nil nil draw, and C. Ensure four in a row for Celtic. This is dire to watch. Rangers should be playing 4-4-2, taking the game to Celtic, not running scared." memnoch666 on My Sport Join the debate
1326: The TV cameras pick out Nacho Novo in the Parkhead stand. The little Spaniard, who is out injured, is surrounded by a gaggle of Rangers fans eager for his autograph. Someone hands their mobile phone to him. I imagine they're imploring him to speak to their pal on the other end of the line...
"Awright wee man, Iluvyouuuuu. I wish you were playing today. We need you!"
1323: "Both teams happy to play out a draw. The game is too narrow with all the play going infield and straight down the middle. Best chance of the match came from a cross. I have an idea - Celtic have a player on the bench who can get to the line and put crosses in. Let's give him a go!!" Classalwaystells on My Sport Join the debate
Celtic appear bereft of attacking ideas without McGeady's wing wizardry...
1321: "As much as I think Rangers is a great club, with a great history etc. I don't think, at the moment, that they would survive in the Premier League. Especially going forward - Kyle Lafferty is barely a Coca-Cola Championship player!" mickybobmanutd on My Sport Join the debate
Big Girafferty has ambled around to little effect, but he's had zero quality service from the Rangers midfield...
1319: Scott McDonald blew a golden opportunity to break this hideous deadlock when he glanced a header past the post with the goal yawning wide open.
Apart from that, both goalkeepers might as well have strung up a couple of hammocks between their sticks and leafed idly through a magazine or a book.
1317: Ref Calum Murray blows his whistle for half-time. Well, that was a real snooze-fest.
1316: "It's the most sterile Old Firm game I can remember. The watching world must be wondering what it's all about." BBC Radio Scotland commentator David Begg
1314: Walter Smith has lost only five out of 18 Old Firm matches at Celtic Park. Just thought I'd toss in that wee stat while I'm waiting for something to happen in this turgid affair...
1311: Barry Ferguson is thwarted on the edge of the Celtic box by a jumble of hooped jerseys. The ball gets stuck underneath the scrum of bodies and Ferguson manages to keep it rolling like the different phases of a rugby ruck. McManus, who is lying flat out on the deck, manages to somehow HEAD the ball away.
1308: Shunsuke Nakamura has been prominent, despite his midweek exertions for Japan in their World Cup qualifier against team-mate Scott McDonald's Australia. His intelligent promptings from midfield have been impressive.
1305: Jan Vennegoor of Heffalump strains his neck, like a turtle emerging from a long sleep, to get on the end of Nakamura's teasing cross but McGregor grabs the ball at the top of its parabola.
The giant Dutch striker falls on top of the Rangers goalie, with wandering hands, as if he's trying to tickle some secret information out of him, and is pedantically booked by Calum Murray. Murray also brandishes a yellow card at Rangers defender David Weir for a spot of moaning.
1304: With a lull in the action, I'm going to take CFKane's advice from 1245 and take a wee breather....aaaaaaaaaaah...
1302: The anonymous Kyle Lafferty is sporting one of the most ludicrous mullets I've seen in a long time. Think Belfast circa 1974. The gangling Northern Irishman's barnet makes team-mate Kirk Broadfoot's absurd coiffure seem like the height of fashion.
1300: Celtic are marginally the better team in a, thus-far, largely uneventful derby.
1259: The spritely Willo Flood skips past Papac and is brought tumbling to the turf. Nakamura fails to get his free-kick past Fleck and it goes out for a corner. Once again another set-piece comes to hee-haw.
1257: Bougherra bounds down the right flank but balloons his pathetic attempt at a cross high and wide.
1255: Walter Smith cuts a forlorn figure, slumped in the Rangers dug-out with his fingers placed pensively on his chin, like Rodin's The Thinker. Whenever his side win possession they immediately gift it back to Celtic and it appears to be doing his nut in.
1254: "Rangers are not playing well. They are here to spoil." BBC Radio Scotland commentator Billy Dodds sounds unimpressed with his former team
1252: Celtic get a free-kick after Lee Naylor is crudely chopped by the lumbering Lee McCulloch. The big men, Caldwell and McManus, trot into the Rangers box. Naylor whips the ball in but it's cleared easily by the visitors' defence.
1251: I've just noticed that Rangers are wearing red socks instead of their traditional black ones with red tops. I wonder why that is (strikes a chin-stroking pose)?
1250: Even the crowd are strangely mute. This is a weird game.
1248: "This is the 382nd Old Firm derby and this is the quietest opening I can remember in the last hundred or so." BBC Radio Scotland commentator David Begg
No doubt Beggy has probably notched at least a century of Old Firm derbies...
1246: Nakamura dances past the flailing leg of McCulloch and threads the ball through to Flood on the left. The former Dundee United player's brilliant outswinging cross is met by McDonald but his flicked header drifts wide.
That was the best, nay the first, chance of the game. You would have expected the diminutive Aussie to tuck that one away. What a chance!
1245: "I think you should take a breath Sharpy, and leave a minute go by without an update!" CFKane on My Sport Join the debate
I wish I could but I can't, there's too much happening! And even when there's not my fiery fingers are compelled to type like the clappers by some mysterious Mordor-like force...
1243: "I have the feeling that this game will be decided by a set-piece." BBC Radio Scotland commentator David Begg
It's a tad early to say that Beggy, but I know what you mean. Celtic keeper Boruc and his counterpart Allan McGregor have barely touched the ball...
1241: It's been a fairly cautious opening from both sides with the midfield area more congested than a downtown Tokyo subway station on a Saturday night.
1240: "Lots of nice little passes but no penetration as yet." BBC Radio Scotland pundit Billy Dodds
1238: Brown scythes Davis waist-high with a slightly unhinged challenge but ref Murray opts to keep his cards in his pocket. The free-kick comes to nowt.
1237: A hefty sliding tackle from Hinkel halts Mendes' progress. The ball is bobbing around like a hot potato. Neither team has taken the game by the scruff of the neck but Rangers are spraying the ball around with more poise.
1236: Talking of Fleck (why not, everyone else has been for weeks), he is donning the number 53 shirt! Now I'm beginning to see why Rangers need to trim their squad.
1235: Mendes releases Fleck on the left and he pings a left-foot cross into the danger area but Boruc leaps to pluck the ball from the air. That came from a slack pass by Scot Brown. Early threat from Rangers' teenager.
1234: Willo Flood nicks the ball in midfield but immediately loses it again as the game begins, as ever, at a frantic pace.
1233: Papac lingers on the ball and Hinkel clatters into him. First meaty challenge of the day.
1232: "John Fleck becomes the youngest Rangers player to start an Old Firm match since Derek Ferguson in December 1984," BBC Radio Scotland commentator David Begg
1231: The man-in-the-middle toots his whistle and we're off! Rangers get the game underway.
1230: Edinburgh referee Calum Murray handles his first Old Firm match this afternoon. The 41-year-old started refereeing as a schoolboy a quarter of a century ago; his first match was Royal High v St Augustine's High under-13s. I wonder how he'll fare in the powder-keg atmosphere of a packed-to-the-gunnels Celtic Park?
1229: Celtic players descend into their traditional pre-match huddle.
1228: "I can see this being a slug fest , with no room for football, tackles flying in at every opportunity, so not expecting a lot except Celtic win." the_bhoy_joe_going_for_4IAR on My Sport Join the debate
1227: The teams are in the tunnel. Nerves must be jangling ahead of this 291st Old Firm derby.
1226: Celtic fans indulge in a spot of choir singing, belting out their own unique version of the Carousel classic, "You'll Never Walk Alone" with no little gusto.
1225: Ally McCoist, who takes his place in the Rangers dug-out today as Walter Smith's wing-man (McCoist is Top Gun's Maverick to Smith's Ice-man), scored Rangers' fastest Premier League goal against Celtic, in 33 seconds at Parkhead in August 1983. Celtic went on to win 2-1.
1224: Chris Sutton netted the fastest Old Firm ever, timed at an incredible 19 seconds, in the 3-2 defeat at Ibrox in 2002.
1223: "Boyd left out in biggest game of the season! Walter Smith has no ambition it appears and seems happy to settle with a qualifier for Champions League football. Has he got short term memory probs?? Kaunas, Walter... Kaunas!" HalfManHalfMattress on My Sport Join the debate
More mumps and moans from huffy Gers fans...what do Celtic fans think of Gordon Strachan's line-up?
1220: Rangers fans are less than happy with Walter Smith's picks: "No Boyd, but we have McCulloch. Walter is playing for nil-nil. BAD DECISION. If we had a go it would be three points. DEPRESSING!" Anonymous via text on 80295
1219: Roly-poly holy goalie Artur Boruc has conceded 11 goals in the last six games against Rangers, four at Ibrox and seven at Celtic Park.
1217: Of course, Aiden McGeady will be chomping at the bit like a rabid terrier ready to leap off the bench at a moment's notice and enter the fray in a gung-ho stylee.
1215: The Rangers bench boasts quite an array of striking talent with Kenny Miller and Steven Naismith joining Boyd in the dug-out. Either one of them could make an impact if things go awry for the Ibrox men.
1213: "Strachan made a mistake playing Jan and giving him a one year deal. Sammy should play. Shame on you Gordon," so says Stevie from Motherwell via text on 80295
Well, to be fair, neither striker has been on top form recently. Big Jan has bagged only two goals this season in the SPL (both in the same game against Aberdeen) and Georgios Samaras has been off the boil for a good while too...
1211: If Rangers hit the back of the pokey this afternoon it will be their 8,500th competitive goal. Or so says BBC Radio Scotland pundit Murdo MacLeod. Not sure where he plucked that solid gold nugget from? Perhaps I shouldn't say...
1210: Here's an even better statistic: it's been 24 games since the team that scored first lost an Old Firm derby.
1209: It's been eight games since there's been a drawn Old Firm clash.
1207: No messing about, let's beam ourselves Star Trek-style over to Celtic Park for today's teams:
Celtic: Boruc, Hinkel, Caldwell, McManus, Naylor, Flood, Scott Brown, Hartley, Nakamura, McDonald, Vennegoor of Hesselink. Subs: Mark Brown, Samaras, Crosas, Loovens, Hutchinson, McGeady, O'Dea.
1206: Can Celtic find their AWOL scoring touch today? Goals have dried up for Gordon Strachan's side recently with a paltry two in their last three games.
1205: "I can see the Hoops nicking this one 2-1 and moving five clear at the top." eirebilly on My Sport Join the debate
Oh, do you now eirebilly? Anyone else want to pitch in with their five cents worth?
1203: "Looks like both teams are lined up to get a draw." Satan's Pa on My Sport Join the debate
Cagey tactics from both managers?
1201: Scott McDonald, who travelled to the ends of the earth and back again only to warm his jacksey on the bench for Australia against Japan, bagged the only goal of the December encounter at Ibrox with Celtic's first shot at goal.
The scampering Skippy forms a twin-pronged attack with the recently out of sorts Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink.
1200: Young whippersnapper of the moment John Fleck is another Old Firm debutant. The 17-year-old takes his place on the left side of the Rangers midfield next to Pedro Mendes, Barry Ferguson and Steven Davis.
1159: Lee McCulloch has been deployed in a holding role by Walter Smith; the former Wigan and Motherwell man will sit in front of the regular back four of Broadfoot, Bougherra, Weir and Papac.
1158: These games are notoriously impossible to call and this one is no different. Me? I'm plumping for a wildly thrilling draw...what do you all reckon? Join the debate
1157: Willo 'the Wisp' Flood is hurled headlong into the deep end of an Olympic-sized swimming pool as he makes his Celtic debut in the bubbling cauldron of an Old Firm derby. Will the little skelf sink or swim?
1156: Kyle 'the human giraffe' Lafferty leads Rangers attack in Walter Smith's widely predicted 4-1-4-1 formation. Kris Boyd doesn't make the starting line-up.
1155: The exclusive team news from Parkhead is that Aiden McGeady is OUT for Celtic. The troubled winger won't start the game. The word is that he's not carrying an injury; he's been bombed out by Gordon Strachan and will warm his little tush on the bench.
1154: Rangers have the enormous incentive of soaring above their east end nemesis into pole position if they can eke out victory at Parkhead.
1153: Despite taking a meagre 12 points from a possible 24, hardly championship-winning form, Celtic can stretch their lead to five points if they overcome their old foes.
1152: Here's hoping for a pulsating ding-dong classic this afternoon, jam-packed with controversial flashpoints and goals galore. A generous sprinkling of attractive football would be an added bonus...
1151: There has been a peculiar flatness about the build-up to the game which is odd considering what's at stake. There are only two points, the width of a cigarette paper, between the Glasgow giants at the top of the SPL and after today they will each have only 13 league games left. This title race really is dangling tantalisingly in the balance.
1150: And so to this endlessly intoxicating fixture, the Old Firm derby. Is today's Celtic-Rangers clash absolutely massive? Yer darn tooting it is.
As ever, BBC Radio Scotland will provide live match commentary from the heaving cauldron of Parkhead, which you can tune into via this website.
So, steady your nerves and stay with us all the way through until around 1500 GMT. And don't forget to send in your comments via: My Sport and text on 80295.
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