'I assume' - Martin O'Neill on Rangers ticket allocation, Celtic schedule and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain debut

Away supporters only returned to Old Firm league fixtures in March last year in limited numbers, ending a lock-out of visiting fans that had been in place since 2023, with the clubs unable to agree on ticketing arrangements.

A compromise was reached which now ensures around 2000 away fans will be permitted at Celtic Park and Ibrox for derbies in the Scottish Premiership.

However, Scottish Cup rules state that away clubs have the right to claim up to 20 per cent of tickets, which equates to about 10,000 fans at Ibrox. Rules add that the area of the ground for away fans is agreed by both clubs and police, and stadium safety laws are taken into account.

It could open the door to a return of a traditional full stand of Celtic fans at Ibrox when the game takes place around the weekend of March 7-8, one week after the league derby in Govan on March 1.

O'Neill said: "I don't know the club stance, but if you take me out of the club at this minute, just being a Celtic supporter, I would want all the tickets we can get with the allocation that's available to us under the rules. I assume that would be forthcoming.

"I've been saying this perhaps not since I've arrived back this time, but I thought that the Old Firm fixture lost a little bit in the sense that the full allocation was not given eventually for whatever reason. I don't know historically what it was. I've got kind of an idea, but it doesn't really matter.

"But I think that did lose a little bit of one of the great fixtures in European football, if not the world. And I thought it lost that. But at least there's some fans coming back and it makes a bit of a difference.

"But to get the full allocation as we did, going to Ibrox and having the side to the left full of Celtic fans was always gratifying. I think that would be lovely. I've talked to a lot of people down south in my time living down there and they think exactly the same.

“It would be fantastic to get back. Still people who have not been to this particular fixture still want to go and see it. But it would be fantastic if the full allocation was given back to both clubs."

The draw means Celtic face four consecutive away games, first travelling to Stuttgart and then Aberdeen in between two games at Ibrox.

O’Neill was unconvinced about the rationale for scheduling their rearranged game at Pittodrie on March 4.

“I thought the Aberdeen fixture was stuck in there very, very quickly,” he said. “They (the SPFL) don’t want to have some postponements going into the split. I think that was their reason for it.

“But it was something that could have been considered really because it did mean an awful lot of away travelling for fans. It’s going to be difficult to afford those particular fixtures.”

Meanwhile, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be involved in Wednesday’s Premiership encounter with Livingston after completing his first two training sessions.

O’Neill said: “He’s looking pretty good. I haven’t picked the squad yet, but there’s a possibility of that.

“Kieran (Tierney) came off with a suspected concussion (against Dundee), but I think he broke a bone in his nose. But he’s okay and I think he wants to be available.”