Celtic v Rangers head-to-head

Old Firm derbies are often heated affairs and Sunday's first meeting of the season between Celtic and Rangers will raise the temperature of the Scottish Premier League season.

Before the other clubs played their game in hand on Saturday, the two Glasgow rivals were already in their familiar positions at the top of the table.

Only goal difference edged Celtic ahead of Rangers, with both having won two and drawn one of their three matches.

Here, BBC Sport profiles the two sides before they enter the cauldron that will be Celtic Park on Sunday.

LAST SEASON

Nacho Novo (left) Shunsuke Nakamura in action last season

In the four Old Firm fixtures during season 2007/08, the home team always came out on top.

At Ibrox, a 3-0 win in October, followed by a 1-0 victory in March, put Rangers in a commanding position at the top of the Scottish Premier League before Celtic recorded back-to-back victories over their greatest rivals at Parkhead in April.

Strachan's side won 2-1 and 3-2 in thrilling encounters to re-ignite the title race.

Celtic eventually won the championship on the last day of the season, their third successive SPL triumph.

CURRENT FORM

Both sides share seven points after three games.

Rangers' opening to the season has been overshadowed by an early exit from Europe, while Celtic have just discovered their Champions League opponents having gained automatic qualification to the group stages of the competition.

Controversial refereeing decisions have dogged the opening SPL fixtures, particularly in matches involving one or other Old Firm side.

But Sunday's referee Dougie MacDonald says he wants the game to be decided in a fair manner and is determined to maintain communication with his two assistants at all times.

MANAGERS

Strachan (left) and Smith are getting ready to do battle again

Gordon Strachan has faced Rangers boss Walter Smith on six occasions in an Old Firm fixture. Smith's side won the first four of these encounters without losing a goal before Celtic's double victory in April.

The managers also met on numerous occasions while managing in England, Strachan having been in charge of Coventry City and Southampton and Everton being Smith's former employer.

In total, more than 14 encounters that included one draw, Smith has won eight times against one of Strachan's sides, while the latter has won on five occasions.

Smith, of course, is in his second spell as Rangers manager and has taken charge of the Ibrox side in 40 Old Firm games, winning 22, losing nine and drawing nine.

Strachan has managed Celtic in 13 Old Firm derbies since joining the Parkhead side in 2005. He has won six, lost five and drawn twice.

PLAYERS

With Rangers having signed more players than their Old Firm rivals, the home side's line-up is slightly easier to predict.

Recent signing Glenn Loovens could partner Celtic captain Stephen McManus in defence after making a debut against Falkirk last week, but fit-again Gary Caldwell may regain his place at Loovens' expense.

But quite who the Celtic defence will face in the Rangers attack is unclear with Smith having deployed his many strikers in a variety of formations so far this season.

Former Celtic striker Kenny Miller and fellow new signings Kyle Lafferty and Andrius Velicka are all candidates for a lone frontman role should Smith elect to go with a 4-5-1 formation, but Kris Boyd could partner any of the aforementioned in a 4-4-2. Nacho Novo and Jean-Claude Darcheville may also feature at Celtic Park.

Old Firm matches are always eventful affairs

In midfield, there is sure to be a battle between Celtic's Paul Hartley, Scott Brown and Barry Robson and Rangers' Pedro Mendes, Kevin Thomson and Steven Davis.

Rangers' defence has gone through a reconstruction with Carlos Cuellar departing for Aston Villa and Madjid Bougherra coming in from Charlton Athletic.

The Algerian is set to partner David Weir at the heart of the visiting defence, but they will not necessarily face Celtic's first-choice strike pairing of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Scott McDonald.

Both are struggling with injury, meaning Strachan may select Georgios Samaras and Shaun Maloney.

AFTERMATH

At such an early stage of the season, the lasting impact of this match may not be felt until much later in the campaign.

However, gaining an advantage for either side would be a welcome way to enter the two-week international break from domestic football.

The Old Firm are scheduled to meet again at Ibrox in late December before the fixture returns to Celtic Park on Valentine's Day.

But, although a passionate affair, the Old Firm match will seldom be regarded as a romantic derby.