Make or break for Michael Beale as ‘can’t-lose’ Rangers situation emerges
Gary Keown has labelled the first Old Firm clash of the season as a “can’t-lose” game for Rangers boss Michael Beale.
Writing on page 99 of the Scottish Mail on Sunday on 27 August, the journalist said the match at Ibrox against Celtic on 2 September is an opportunity for the Gers boss to give himself “badly needed breathing space”.
Although there is huge importance placed on the second-leg Champions League playoff game against PSV on Wednesday (30 August), Keown believes the game against the “below-par” Hoops is more likely to “make or break” Beale’s reign.
“This is it for Michael Beale, then,” he said. “A week until the first Old Firm game of the season at Ibrox and he will never have a better chance of beating Celtic in a game that matters and giving himself badly needed breathing space.
“It’s tempting to see Ibrox as a must-win for his under-pressure selection of summer signings. It’s very definitely a can’t-lose.”
Pressure is on
It’s strange to see a manager who is unbeaten in six matches be under pressure, but Beale really is heading into next weekend’s game against Celtic.
That is largely down to the opening-day defeat to Kilmarnock, where his side put in a disappointing performance as they were beaten 1-0 by the hosts.
Although that is their only defeat of the campaign so far, there is so little margin for error in the SPFL, given that the Gers finished seven points behind Celtic last season despite only losing four matches [Sky Sports].
But he has been aided by their Glasgow rivals’ recent results, with Brendan Rodgers’ side losing to Kilmarnock in the League Cup last week and drawing at home with St. Johnstone on Saturday (26 August), with the Light Blues closing the gap at the top to one point following their 2-0 victory away at Ross County.
That means the Gers – providing they make it through against PSV in midweek – will be heading into the Old Firm as the in-form team and will be confident of securing a result to gain the advantage in the title race.
In other Rangers news, a pundit was stunned by what one player did in the victory over Ross County.