Rogic set for Old Firm return on big weekend for Caltex Socceroos abroad

Caltex Socceroos star Tom Rogic is back in contention for Celtic's Old Firm Derby with Rangers this Sunday in the Scottish Premiership.

Midfield maestro Rogic has not pulled on a Hoops jersey in over three months after undergoing knee surgery following Australia's AFC Asian Cup campaign in January, but is set to return for Neil Lennon's side in their 10.00pm (AET) kick off on Sunday. 

The addition of the 26-year-old – who has scored five goals in seven matches against Celtic's Glasgow rivals – is an enormous boost for the Scottish Premiership leaders as they aim to put further distance between themselves and second-placed Rangers.

Read on as we preview the Old Firm derby and every other match in store for your Caltex Socceroos abroad (all kick off times in AET unless otherwise stated)

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"Tom Rogic is back on the grass and he’s had a couple of really good days training," Celtic boss Lennon told Celtic TV.

"He’ll be in contention for the squad at the weekend, which is great."

Celtic skipper Scott Brown added: "To have Tom back... everyone knows how good Tom is.

He is a genius, that left foot of his has won us so many games before.

"There’s not a lot of players that I’ve played with whose movement is as good as his is."

tom-rogic
Tom Rogic has scored five goals in seven matches against Rangers

Elsewhere in Scotland, 33-year-old Mark Milligan is set for his eighth straight start for Hibernian when the Edinburgh side face Livingston at 6.45am (AEDT) on Saturday morning.

Milligan has excelled in a strong recent run from the Easter Road outfit, who have won four of their last five with the Australian anchoring the midfield – although he slotted in at centre-back for the team's 2-0 win over Motherwell last time out.

Milligan
Eyes on the ball: Caltex Socceroo Mark Milligan in action for Hibs in Scotland

Huddersfield with a battle on their hands

Aaron Mooy's Huddersfield Town will be playing to stave off English Premier League relegation for another week when they travel to Crystal Palace at 2.00am Sunday.

Sitting rock-bottom on 14 points, a loss could condemn The Terriers to certain relegation with six matches still to play, pending other results.

If this occurred, Jan Siewert's side would become the second side in the Premier League era after Derby Country in 2008 to be relegated before the end of March.

Aaron Mooy
Huddersfield Town and Caltex Socceroos midfielder Aaron Mooy faces a 'do-or-die' mission at Crystal Palace on the weekend

At the same time on Sunday, Caltex Socceroos goalkeeper Mathew Ryan will be eager to keep a clean sheet when his Brighton and Hove Albion side welcome Southampton.

Sitting 15th and 16th respectively, the clash presents a big chance for Ryan's Brighton to push clear of the relegation zone, currently occupied by Cardiff City, Fulham and Huddersfield Town.

In the Championship, Jackson Irvine, of Hull City, and Massimo Luongo, of Queens Park Rangers, both take on relegation-threatened sides at 2.00am on Sunday.

Luongo's Queens Park Rangers will be aiming to win at home against a desperate Bolton outfit who sit second from bottom.

Meanwhile, Irvine and Hull City, who are six points adrift of a playoff spot, travel to rock-bottom Ipswich Town.

Luongo
Queens Park Rangers and Australia midfielder Massimo Luongo will be looking for three points against Bolton Wanderers on Sunday

De Topper to decide title race?

The Eredivisie has been an entertaining two-horse race between PSV Eindhoven and Ajax for much of the season, and it is only fitting that the aptly named De Topper rivalry between the two Dutch powerhouses is looming as the season's defining moment.

Aziz Behich and Trent Sainsbury could feature for Mark van Bommel's PSV side, who sit five points clear of Ajax heading into Monday morning's encounter. Kick off is at 1.45am.

Staying in the Netherlands, Alex Gersbach returns from his Australia U-23 national team exploits to NAC Breda for their Sunday night encounter with VVV Venlo. That one gets underway at 9.15pm.

Gersbach
Gersbach helped Australia qualify for the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship this week

In Denmark, Awer Mabil's FC Midtjylland begin the Danish Superliga playoff phase confident they can win the Championship. They face FC Nordsjælland at 2:00am on Sunday.

Mustafa Amini will also kick-start his playoff campaign with AGF, taking on Vejle BK on Tuesday morning at 4.00am.

Over in the Austrian BundesligaJames Jeggo's Austria Wien also begin playoff action, when they visit Red Bull Salzburg on Monday morning (kick-off 2.00am).

Awer Mabil thumbs up at end of Syria game, Asian Cup 2019
Awer Mabil: an outstanding performer in the Danish Superliga this season

Leckie picking up speed for Hertha

After a cameo off the bench in Hertha Berlin's 3-2 defeat to Borussia Dortmund last week, Mathew Leckie is ready to fire for Sunday's 4.30am Bundesliga visit to RB Leipzig.

Currently trailing sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen by seven points, a win against Leipzig could spark Pál Dárdai's side back to their best for the crucial run home, having lost three of their last four league matches.

Robbie Kruse has been absent from the Vfl Bochum team sheet for their last four matches. His 2. Bundesliga outfit match up with Hamburger SV at 11.00pm on Saturday.

After finishing first in the regular season, Danny Vukovic's Genk begin their Championship round when they take on fellow Belgian Pro League heavyweights Anderlecht on Sunday at 6.30am.

And in Cyprus, Apostolos Giannou's AEK Larnaca face Apollon Limassol on Sunday morning at 2.00am as the Cypriot First Division play-offs heat up.

Apostolos Giannou
Apostolos Giannou of AEK Larnaca

Degenek's top of the table Saudi clash

Milos Degenek has made an impressive start to life for league leaders Al-Hilal and should be among the action again as the Saudi superpower prepares to take on second-placed Al Nassr on Saturday morning at 4.40am.

It's a clash not to be missed, with the two sides separated by just two points in the Saudi Pro League.

Matthew Jurman is also in action for Al-Ittihad on Saturday morning, travelling to Al-Faisaly at 2.55am.

After a superb start to the J-League season, Mitch Langerak's Nagoya Grampus will look to bounce back from their pre-international break loss to leaders FC Tokyo when they welcome Consadole Sapporo on Saturday at 4.00pm.

Degenek
Milos Degenek's Al-Hilal face a huge clash on Saturday morning

Remaining in Japan, Andrew Nabbout and Urawa Red Diamonds have a shot at toppling the J-League front-runners FC Tokyo themselves in Saturday's 4.00pm kick off.

Back on Australian shores, Chris Ikonomidis and Perth Glory can take another step towards claiming the Hyundai A-League Premiers' Plate with a win over Melbourne Victory on Saturday night, kick off at 10.00pm.

Earlier in the evening, Josh Risdon's Western Sydney Wanderers welcome Jamie Maclaren's Melbourne City on Saturday at 7.50pm, while Rhyan Grant and Sydney FC play Brisbane Roar at 7.50pm on Friday.

Grant
Sydney FC's Rhyan Grant: in action against the Roar on Friday night