Celtic made light work of Rangers at Parkhead on Sunday, cruising to a 3-0 victory to maintain their unbeaten start to the 2024-25 Premiership season.
Once again, the gulf in quality between the Old Firm rivals was laid bare, with Celtic appearing well-placed to retain their league title. Meanwhile, Rangers, despite a busy summer in the transfer market, seem unlikely to mount a serious challenge.
There has been much debate surrounding the comparative quality of the two squads, with some arguing that not a single Rangers player would break into Celtic’s starting XI.
Kris Boyd, in particular, has stirred the pot by claiming that four or five players from Celtic’s bench would walk into Rangers’ first team.
The debate took another turn when former Rangers boss Graeme Souness weighed in, suggesting that one player, at least, from the blue side of Glasgow could make the cut.
Speaking on the Three Up Front podcast, Souness argued that Rangers’ goalkeeper Jack Butland would get the nod over Celtic’s new signing Kasper Schmeichel. “The goalkeeper does,” Souness insisted, backing Butland’s credentials.
But not everyone was convinced. Simon Jordan, also present on the podcast, was visibly taken aback by Souness’s claim, grimacing as the discussion unfolded.
For Jordan, the notion that Butland, impressive though he may be, could oust Schmeichel from Brendan Rodgers’ XI seemed a stretch.
Schmeichel, who joined Celtic from Anderlecht in the summer, has made an immediate impact. With four clean sheets in as many league games, he has been a key factor in Celtic’s flawless defensive record so far this season.
Butland, meanwhile, has been a solid presence for Rangers since joining on a free transfer in 2023. Both goalkeepers are experienced, but whether Butland could truly displace Schmeichel in the Celtic line-up remains open for debate.