Ex-Celtic player claims Rangers favourites to win Old Firm derby
Former Celtic goalkeeper Alan Rough has claimed that Rangers would win the Old Firm derby if it was to take place this week.
Steven Gerrard’s men make the short journey across Glasgow to Celtic Park on October 17 in what will be their first match after the upcoming international break.
As it stands, the Light Blues are top of the Scottish Premiership, one point ahead of second-placed Celtic, who have a game in hand to play.
Although it’s still very close between the two Old Firm rivals at the top of the table, Rough believes that Rangers are in much better form at the moment because he cannot trust Celtic’s defence.
“I know Rangers versus Celtic is on the 17th but if Rangers were to go into that game midweek or at the end of this week, I think they’d be favourites for that with the way that they’re playing,” Rough said on PLZ Soccer’s Football Show.
“I don’t think a lot of people would disagree with that.”
The former Scotland goalkeeper added: “At this precise moment, the way the Celtic defence is, I think Rangers with the players at their disposal would think they could get at Celtic’s defence.”
Celtic may have kept a clean sheet at the weekend but that was just their fourth clean sheet in the league so far this season after eight matches played.
Usually, you would imagine that the Hoops would be very hard to score against but the likes of Hamilton, Kilmarnock, St Mirren and Livingston have had no such issues.
And then you have Rangers’ attack, which is firing on all cylinders at the moment and is bound to break down the Celtic rearguard if the two sides were to play each other right now.
Only Albian Ajeti [5] has scored more league goals than James Tavernier [4] and Ryan Kent [4] in the Scottish Premiership while the Gers have hit 22 goals in nine league matches – as well as an extra nine in their two Europa League matches.
As Rough said, you’d find it hard to disagree with the fact that Rangers would be favourites right now but you can guarantee that there will be some delusions across Glasgow ahead of October 17.
In other Rangers news, fans have blasted this “anti-Rangers” pundit for his claim on BBC.