Where Would They Finish?

To estimate where the Old Firm would land in the Premier League, we compare their points‑per‑game, squad strength, consistency, and performance against European‑level opposition. The Scottish Premiership data gives us a strong baseline.

Its always been asked if they'd compete at Premier League level, with some Welsh sides already competing and money playing a massive part of football in the modern era, it's looking ever likely that some sort of combination of leagues could actually happen.

1. Celtic’s Level vs Premier League Standards

Recent Celtic form shows:

• 2.06 PPG overall, with 2.35 PPG at home

• Strong attacking output: 1.82 goals scored per match

• Solid defence: 1.06 conceded per match

These numbers are similar to Aston Villa, West Ham, or Brighton in recent Premier League seasons — clubs that typically finish 7th–12th.

Projection: ➡️ Celtic would likely finish between 8th and 12th in the Premier League. They have the consistency and structure to avoid relegation comfortably but would struggle to break into the top six due to the week‑to‑week intensity.

2. Rangers’ Level vs Premier League Standards

Recent Rangers form shows:

• 2.03 PPG overall, slightly below Celtic’s

• Concede slightly more (1.00 per match) and score slightly fewer (2.00 per match)

• In head‑to‑head, Celtic have won 24 of the last 48 meetings, Rangers 13

Rangers’ inconsistency is also highlighted by:

• A 17‑point gap behind Celtic in the 2024–25 season

• Struggles in early‑season form, including sitting 6th in the SPFL at one point

These metrics align Rangers more closely with Crystal Palace, Wolves, or Everton — teams that hover around 12th–17th.

Projection: ➡️ Rangers would likely finish between 13th and 17th, occasionally flirting with relegation but usually surviving.

3. How Transfers Would Change Their Position

If Celtic strengthened

• Adding a PL‑level striker + CB could push them to 8th–9th.

• Their squad already resembles Brighton/Brentford in metrics.

If Rangers strengthened

• A stable manager + two defensive signings could lift them to 11th–13th.

• Without reinforcements, they remain a lower‑mid‑table side.

• Premier League mid‑table clubs have higher budgets, deeper squads, and stronger weekly opposition. With time, should they both manage to stay up for a couple seasons, they should be able to strengthen.

• Celtic and Rangers dominate Scotland, but their European results show they struggle against top‑five‑league intensity. Moving league would also reduce there chances of getting into these European spots, hindering who would want to sign for them and the income they'd bring in.

📊 Simulated 2025/26 Premier League Table (Celtic & Rangers Added)

We asked several AI tools to run a simulation of where they'd see Celtic and Rangers finishing should they be in the Premier League this season. We used the prompt of taking into consideration there poor starts and actually being behind Hearts currently as well as Tottenham's poor run of form although usually would be high in the league in simulations.

(Based on the live table: Arsenal 73 pts, Man City 70 pts, Wolves 17 pts)