By George Overhill

26th Apr, 2023 | 6:10pm

Rangers: Chris Sutton eyes 'enormous' Connor Goldson over luckless John Souttar amid injury 'doubts' verdict for Celtic clash

Chris Sutton has lauded Rangers defender Connor Goldson as “enormous” while admitting he and Ryan Kent make the team “far better”.

Both the pair are injury worries for Michael Beale ahead of the Celtic clash on 30 April, with the exit-bound winger missing the previous two games, and the centre back out for the past three, having been absent from the previous Old Firm derby at late notice, leaving John Souttar and Ben Davies to each make major errors in defeat.

Ex-Hoops striker Sutton doesn’t believe Gers fans have anything like the same level of confidence in the other two defenders, although he has backed Souttar to come good in time after terrible injury issues.

Speaking on the Record Celtic Podcast on Wednesday (26 April, 11m 45s) he said: “I still think [Rangers] have got issues, if Goldson isn’t fit, if Kent isn’t fit, they they look like they are doubts.”

Later he said (25m): “I actually think Connor Goldson is enormous for Rangers. I think if he’s not fit then I don’t think the Rangers fans would have much faith in Davies and Souttar.

“I like Souttar actually, I think eventually he’ll do a decent job at Rangers, but he’s had a difficult, difficult season coming back from injury and it’s hard when you’re thrown in and he was thrown in.

“But he doesn’t shirk things John Souttar. They’ve got to make sure they’re watertight, but they’re a far better team with Goldson in.

“And they’re a far better team, whether you like it or not and whether he’s on his way, with Ryan Kent in.”

Focus

Whoever is or isn’t fit for this game shouldn’t be the primary focus because there is essentially nothing left of the season if Rangers lose so whatever side plays has to give it everything.

Kent has flattered to deceive in plenty of derby games before so his presence shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all, but Goldson returning would be a boost.

Souttar and Davies had both had reasonably impressive games before each committed major errors at Parkhead to gift the home side what proved to be the goals that took the points on 8 April.

Without those mistakes, and had Alfredo Morelos’ early strike stood, it would have been a different story, and two of the three times a Beale side has faced Ange Postecoglou it has caused problems without getting the win over the line.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst got his only Old Firm win as a manager in exactly these circumstances last season on the way to lifting the trophy.

And now Beale is going to need to get the same job done to salvage anything from what has proven to be a tumultuous campaign.

In other Rangers news, the Ibrox boss may already be half way towards the sack before he has even finished his first season.