Mark Hateley shares ‘vital’ Rangers title race verdict
Mark Hateley believes Rangers shouldn’t be prioritising any competition over the other, and says Sunday’s Old Firm game is ‘100 percent’ a title decider.
Rangers host Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday in a huge top of the table clash, where a win would put them level on points and defeat would see them fall six points behind.
But with a Europa League quarter-final clash to come in midweek and a Scottish Cup semi-final to come too, Hateley told The Sun the team should be playing to win every game and thinks the winner of Sunday’s game will go on to be champions.
“Yes, 100 per cent,” he said when asked if the game is a title decider. “It will be down to the first team to blink. That’s how important it is.
“It’s vital for where Rangers are right now, how they have built over the period from Steven Gerrard to now.
“This is about retaining a title, which is always the most difficult thing to do. Winning the title is hard, retaining it is more difficult.
“The next Old Firm game is key to where Rangers will end up this season.
“There would be no choice for me. It’s both. I would be approaching every game the same, whether it’s the Scottish Cup, the Europa League or the Premiership.
“You’d get the same effort and the same endeavour from me at every level. You don’t pick and choose — you just play to win.”
Mentality
That winning mentality where victory is the only important thing is exactly what is needed in this Rangers squad right now.
A win over Celtic on Sunday would set off a huge month in the season to a perfect start, rocking the boat at their fierce rivals while also putting them in a position to really push on to retain the title.
It’ll also put them in good stead for the Europa League quarter-final clash with Braga, while giving them the psychological edge over their rivals for the Scottish Cup semi-final
Celtic’s goal difference effectively acts as an extra point currently, but a Rangers win would swing momentum quickly in their favour and set up a grandstand finish for the title.
Rangers must stay focused and calm but also give their everything to this next month or so of the season, as they’re perfectly placed to make history.
In other Rangers news, ‘They’ll find a way’ – Barry Ferguson expects Rangers to make major decision v Celtic