Rangers received a boost with the news of Daizen Maeda’s absence from Celtic’s recent training sessions captured by Sky Sports. The Japanese forward was noticeably missing in the footage released, raising doubts about his availability for Celtic’s upcoming matches.

As Celtic get ready to face Dundee on 28 April, it seems likely that Maeda will be sidelined due to injury, leaving a significant gap in their attacking lineup. Rangers, on the other hand, are eyeing their final Scottish Premiership showdown with Celtic on 11 May and would prefer Maeda to remain out of action until after that crucial fixture.

During the last encounter between the two rivals at Ibrox on 7 April, Maeda posed a significant challenge for Rangers’ captain James Tavernier, scoring within the first minute of the match. Despite a thrilling 3-3 draw, Rangers faced hardship containing Maeda’s threat on the pitch that day.

Since then, Maeda has been sidelined due to injury, missing key matches against St. Mirren in the league and Aberdeen in the Scottish FA Cup semi-finals. His absence has been felt by Celtic, given his impressive contribution of nine goals and three assists across all competitions this season.

With their eyes set on the championship, Rangers will hope to capitalize on Celtic’s situation and potentially overtake them in the standings before the crucial Old Firm derby on 11 May. Matches against St. Mirren and Kilmarnock loom large, setting the stage for a showdown that could determine the fate of the Scottish Premiership title.