THE talking is almost over and the action will soon get underway. Everyone from supporters to Old Firm legends have had their say on how the Scottish Cup semi-final will unfold. Here, the SportTimes team give their big match predictions ahead of Sunday’s Hampden showdown.

MATTHEW LINDSAY

RANGERS are quite capable of winning this Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic if they perform to their best and their opponents fail to excel.

Mark Warburton’s side thrashed Premiership club Dundee 4-0 in the semi-final last month with one of their finest displays of the season. Play like that again and their city rivals will have a game on their hands.

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But if Ronny Deila’s side shine I expect them to prevail. They have superior quality to their opponents right throughout their team. They also have greater experience.

Yes, Celtic have often been disappointing in the 2015/16 campaign and have lost and dropped points to Ross County, Kilmarnock, Dundee and Motherwell.

But I expect them to deliver on Sunday given the huge importance of the fixture.

Losing Harry Forrester, who was ruled out of the game with a fractured leg this week, is a blow to Rangers.

Prediction: Rangers 1-2 Celtic

Glasgow Times:

CHRIS JACK

THIS will be no damage limitation exercise for Rangers like it was when the Old Firm rivalry was renewed in the League Cup last season and the Light Blue legions are hopeful of a shock derby triumph at Hampden.

The loss of Harry Forrester is a huge blow for boss Mark Warburton, especially when he was already denied the services of Michael O’Halloran, Billy King and Martyn Waghorn.

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But Rangers have proven throughout the campaign that they can score goals and their quick passing and attacking approach could unsettle a Celtic defence that have once again been far from convincing this term.

Ronny Deila’s side have the derby experience and, on the whole, they are a better group of players.

Celtic should win. But, anything can happen in a cup game and anything can happen in an Old Firm game and Rangers certainly have a chance of remaining on course for a unique Treble this term.

Prediction: Rangers 2-1 Celtic

NEIL CAMERON

IF Celtic play well then it is hard to see past them winning this in 90 minutes, but that does not mean to say Rangers have no chance. It’s daft and wrong to write them off.

Both sides will score but Celtic will probably score more than once and that should do it on the day.

Leigh Griffiths, Scott Brown and Charlie Mulgrew will be key for Ronny Deila. Kenny Miller is as experienced but there is only one of him. One or two in blue will have to play the game of their lives.

Prediction: Rangers 1-3 Celtic

ALISON MCCONNELL

IT is a game that seems certain to have goals in it since neither defence has been particularly convincing over the course of the campaign.

Celtic, on paper, have the better squad but so often this season they have stumbled when put under any kind of pressure.

Celtic will look to bring back Erik Sviatchenko and pair him with Charlie Mulgrew at the centre of defence - but their lack of pace against Kenny Miller will be interesting.

Similarly, if Patrick Roberts, as expected, keeps his place his will be an interesting duel against Lee Wallace.

In any case, it is an intriguing contest with the pressure all on Celtic. How they handle that will determine their fate in the contest.

Ronny Deila has one big decision to make in terms of personnel and lies in whether he brings back Kris Commons, who has had an indifferent season but who brings considerable presence to this derby.

Certainly, though, whatever team he sends out will not be forgiven any kind of slip against a team whose mismanagement has been gleefully celebrated by the Hoops support over the last four years.

Prediction: Rangers 2-3 Celtic

SCOTT MULLEN

IN any other game, league or dimension, logic would dictate that a football team from a higher division, with more experienced and arguably better players, would win a match.

With this fixture, though, rational thought doesn’t often compute.

Bookmakers have rightly made Celtic overwhelming favourites to beat Rangers and yes, if they play as they can, they should annihilate a defence that… well… doesn’t really defend.

Patrick Roberts was superb against Motherwell and the fact Leigh Griffiths missed a penalty at Fir Park didn’t stop him from regaining his composure to smash in his 36th and 37th goals of the campaign.

Having said that, this is the same team that has attracted criticism this year for their inconsistency.

That, along with Rangers’ vast improvement under Mark Warburton, has understandably made this Sunday’s game much harder to call than when the teams met last year.

In my eyes, though, if Celtic turn up and play to their strengths, there will only be one winner at Hampden. With pressure mounting, I can’t see them slipping up here.

Prediction: Rangers 0-2 Celtic

GRAEME MACPHERSON

CELTIC have the better individual players. Rangers have the stronger unit.

The outcome on Sunday, then, will depend on whether Celtic’s key individuals perform to their best or not.

Should Scott Brown and Nir Bitton provide a solid midfield screen, should the likes of Patrick Roberts, Stefan Johansen, Tom Rogic and Stuart Armstrong demonstrate their full armoury of craft and guile, and should Leigh Griffiths prove as deadly as ever in attack, then Celtic should win fairly comfortably.

But it hasn’t all clicked like that too often this season. Griffiths has been the one consistent performer – his penalties aside – but the three behind him has chopped and changed, while Brown has not been at his menacing best either.

Rangers lack the same level of quality but their strength lies in how they perform as a collective. And with two trophies already in the bag they will not be lacking in confidence either. Celtic should shade it, but only just.

Prediction: Rangers 1-2 Celtic

GRAEME MCGARRY

THE gap between Celtic and Rangers has narrowed since last season’s League Cup semi-final, but given the paucity of the Rangers challenge on that occasion, it could hardly have got much wider.

If Rangers can reproduce the same sort of attacking, free-flowing football that they did when they saw off Dundee at Ibrox, then we are in for a great game at Hampden.

But for me, the game hinges upon Ronny Deila’s side playing to their capabilities rather than Mark Warburton’s.

I fancy that they will do enough to achieve the same margin of victory they did over Rangers last season, although the game itself will likely be a far less straight-forward, and hopefully more exciting, affair.

Rangers can score against this Celtic defence, but in the likes of Leigh Griffiths, Patrick Roberts and Kris Commons (if he plays, as he should), Celtic have the players to make the most of the gaps left by their opponents’ rampaging full-backs.

Prediction: Rangers 1-3 Celtic

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