Where would Celtic and Rangers finish in the Premier League? LiveScore fans have their say
LiveScore Features
For the second time in the space of a week, Celtic and Rangers are preparing to meet in an Old Firm fixture, placing Scotland's biggest rivalry firmly back in the spotlight.
The quick turnaround has also revived one of British football's favourite hypotheticals: how would Celtic and Rangers perform if they played in the English Premier League?
LiveScore users think Celtic and Rangers would struggle to challenge for Europe
According to a poll of 74.6K LiveScore users in the UK, supporters largely believe the Glasgow giants would find life difficult south of the border. Three quarters of respondents placed them either in mid-table or among the relegation candidates, while only a quarter backed them to challenge for Europe or the title.
Only 13% believed the Scottish rivals would qualify for European competition. The most optimistic 12% considered them potential Premier League title challengers.
The results underline the scale of the perceived gap between dominating the Scottish Premiership and competing every week against clubs backed by Premier League broadcasting and commercial income. However, they also show that a meaningful minority still believe the clubs' history, support and winning culture could translate to England.
Why comparing Celtic and Rangers' current squads with Premier League clubs isn't straightforward
Any comparison must account for the financial environment in which the two clubs currently operate. Celtic and Rangers build squads around the revenues available in the SPFL, where domestic broadcasting and commercial income are far lower than in the Premier League.
Dropping today's teams directly into England's top flight therefore offers only part of the picture. Premier League membership would transform the clubs' revenue, allowing them to spend more on transfer fees, wages, recruitment and infrastructure. Their huge fan bases, global recognition and regular exposure to high-pressure fixtures could also make them attractive to players and commercial partners.
On today's evidence, it's hard to argue with LiveScore users expecting survival or stability to be the realistic starting point. Given time and Premier League resources, the debate could look very different.
