George Overhill

Mon 27 November 2023 18:40, UK

It is a “much bigger statement” for Rangers to beat Aberdeen and lift the Viaplay Cup next month that it would have been to win at Pittodrie this weekend because Celtic will still secure the title, according to Michael Stewart.

The BBC pundit claimed live on Sportscene on 26 November that the 1-1 draw with the Dons was a “big game to drop points in” after the Hoops had been held by Motherwell the day before, but pointed to the rematch at Hampden Park on 17 December as a far more important priority for Philippe Clement.

With Rangers still eight points back from Celtic with a game in hand Stewart doesn’t expect the leaders to drop enough points to open the door to an improved Light Blues under the new manager so the first trophy of the season is instead the key aim.

Stewart joked (54m 10s): “Obviously St Mirren are only six points behind Rangers. Perhaps they can get themselves into the title race.

“No, look it was a big game there today that Rangers have dropped points in. I don’t see Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic side dropping enough points for Rangers to go immaculately through the season to get themselves into the fight for it.

“I think Celtic will win the title. Certainly under Philippe Clement Rangers have improved but I don’t see it then being enough to go and challenge for the title.

“The cup final for me is a bigger thing for Rangers than today was, because even if they’d won that I still think that Celtic will have enough, whereas getting their hands on that silverware, the first of the season, is a much bigger statement.”

Multiple fronts

In reality Stewart might be right but that shouldn’t let the Rangers players off the hook for a below-par performance as they failed to take the opportunity to narrow the gap on their Old Firm rivals.

It is probably a long shot for Celtic to keep dropping points over the course of the campaign, but had the Gers beaten Barry Robson’s side the gap would have been six, with a game in hand, and a derby on the horizon.

So while it is easier said than done that was a straight-forward route to being level at the top of the table by January and then the race would have been well and truly on.

Clement absolutely needs to ensure that his side secures the Viaplay Cup, where they will need to use the draw to learn from and be much better against the Dandies at Hampden.

But Rangers can’t just content themselves with just winning a cup when the goal is supposed to be to lift every trophy, at least domestically.

Yes they have let their rivals get away from them over the past couple of years and the squad appears to still be badly lacking after Michael Beale’s failed rebuild but they should still be good enough to at least pressure Celtic in the SPFL.

In other Rangers news, a “100%” transfer update has emerged amid links to a high-profile January Ibrox signing.