GLASGOW, Scotland -- It's the first Old Firm game for Rangers manager Paul Le Guen.
It's one of the most intense rivalries in world soccer, although Celtic manager Gordon Strachan says it's nothing like it used to be.
If Celtic wins on Saturday, the defending champions will move seven points clear of Rangers. A Rangers' victory at Celtic Park will narrow Hoops' lead to only one.
"It's going to be frantic, but not as frantic as 20 years ago," Strachan said. "It used to be all-out war 20 or 30 years ago. It's not like that now. There's more to it now."
Rangers are coming off a 2-1 league loss to Hibernian last weekend. The club came back with a 2-0 victory over Dunfermline in the League Cup.
Le Guen, himself a Frenchman, has formed an international team at Rangers. He has been starting countryman Julien Rodriguez and Karl Svensson of Sweden in central defense.
But in the Dunfermline victory, he started Brahim Hemdani of Morocco and Bosnian international Sasa Papac in defense.
A loss could put Le Guen under early pressure.
"If you are the manager of Rangers or Celtic, then you will have problems every day," Strachan said. "Someone will find one. That's the way it is."
Rangers' fortunes may hinge on striker Kris Boyd. He scored 37 goals last season for Kilmarnock and Rangers - but none against Celtic. He has six already this season.
"If I can get close to what I got last year, I'll be happy," Boyd said. "But I know that's not going to be easy."
Despite a good start, Celtic has looked vulnerable in defense where Lee Naylor and Gary Caldwell should start. Two other Hoops players - Thomas Gravesen and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink - will be playing in their first Old Firm game.
Asked how to deal with the game, Celtic defender Stephen McManus said: "Get stuck in. That's what it's all about. These big game fly past you and the first one is always a blur."
Gravesen played for Real Madrid against Barcelona in Spain's No. 1 rivalry, but McManus warned him this will be different.
"I don't think the standard will be quite as good as those games, but the atmosphere and rivalry is certainly intense," he said.