‘Shouldn’t be accepted in a dressing room’: BBC pundit fires Gers warning after Fir Park shocker
Neil McCann has warned Rangers that they must not take their eye off the prize after an insipid performance at Motherwell produced a mere point.
Rangers had the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 23 points after Celtic drew for a second game in a row against Livingston on Saturday, but they failed to capitalise and fell down to an early Devante Cole goal.
Steven Gerrard’s side stepped it up in the second half and their dominance paid off as substitute Cedric Itten found an equaliser but they were unable to force home a winner and remain 21 points clear of their Old Firm rivals who have three games in hand.
Speaking on the BBC Sportsound Podcast (17/01/21) after the game former Gers midfielder McCann refused to accept a slip in standards despite their hefty lead at the top, saying: “No, that absolutely shouldn’t be an excuse.
“It never, ever happened in my time when I was winning titles at Rangers. The group of players I was with were relentless.”
He added: “That isn’t how champions work, they are normally just ruthless, and just totally dismiss the challenge that is behind them.
“Then, when you are champions, and want to take the foot off the gas and put a few young boys in then you are entitled to do that, but generally that shouldn’t be accepted in a dressing room.”
Gers desperate for clean sheet return
It was a performance and result that will act as a warning for Rangers as they look to secure the title as soon as possible.
They still remain 21 points clear and are comfortable at the top but they will want to wrap the Premiership quickly and they must ensure their standards do not slip like this again.
After four clean sheets Rangers have now conceded in successive games after letting in a consolation at Aberdeen in the previous week.
The Gers defence has been a shining light in their season and acted as a solid foundation for their sensational start to the season, ceding just seven goals in 24 Premiership games so far.
Our record of two goals conceded in their last five Premiership games is the same as Celtic and Livingston and is the first time this season other clubs in the league can claim to have matched the Light Blues miserly defence.
While these recent numbers are still impressive to most sides and come off the back of four clean sheets before the trip to Pittodrie last weekend, the impeccable standards set by Gerrard will make them determined to return to the miserly defence when they welcome Ross County to Ibrox on Saturday.
In other Rangers news, our view on a disappointing display from this player at Motherwell.