AFP, GLASGOW: Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers may be talking up the threat Rangers will pose in Saturday's Old Firm derby, but the match will be the first real test of the progress of Pedro Caixinha's Ibrox revolution.

Caixinha was parachuted into Ibrox from Qatari side Al-Gharafa in March following Mark Warburton's exit and has had a rough ride in his brief tenure to date.

Celtic got the better of Rangers in last season's Scottish Cup semi-final before Caixinha suffered on the sidelines as his side slumped to a 5-1 league defeat in April -- their heaviest home loss to Celtic. However, the 46-year-old was backed by the Rangers board in the summer as he brought in 11 new faces with a similar number heading for the exit door.

The new-look side have taken time to gel and suffered an embarrassing Europa League exit to Luxembourg minnows Progres Niederkorn at the first hurdle.

Draws against Hearts and Partick Thistle -- coupled with a defeat to Hibernian -- mean Rangers sit third in the table and are already playing catch-up to Celtic.

It is in stark contrast to the situation at Parkhead last season when Rodgers arrived in the east end of Glasgow and made an instant impact without tinkering too much with the squad he inherited from Ronny Deila.

Celtic strolled to a treble under the former Liverpool manager and remain undefeated in 56 domestic matches.

Rodgers' side have started this season as they ended the last and Rangers go into the match five points behind them in third after just six games. But Caixinha is confident his side will give a better account of themselves than the last time they squared up -- despite captain Lee Wallace being ruled out and injury doubts to Portuguese veteran defender Bruno Alves and left-back Declan John.