Chris Sutton in ‘no bottle’ verdict, hits out at previous Rangers ‘freak show’
Rangers will be accused of having “no bottle” if they fail to beat St Johnstone on Sunday, according to Chris Sutton.
The Gers have drawn level on points with Celtic following a 3-1 victory over Ross County on Wednesday (14 February), with former Bhoys striker Sutton left impressed by the way Philippe Clement has got a tune out of Rangers.
Sutton gave particular praise given what he described as a “freak show” under previous boss Michael Beale.
However, he warned that opinions can be fickle and that both Celtic and Rangers will face criticism if they fail to win their respective fixtures with Kilmarnock and St Johnstone over the weekend.
Writing for the Daily Record (17 February), Sutton wrote: “If Celtic don’t beat Kilmarnock, there will be punters howling and heading for the car park. If they do win and then Rangers mess up at St Johnstone on Sunday, their fans will get angry and outsiders will claim they have no bottle and don’t have the mentality to see this race through.
“You need to cope with it all. It’s what makes an Old Firm title race so enthralling. There’s no question Rangers are making progress under Clement.
“The mood around Ibrox is in total contrast to the freak show that was created by Michael Beale of all talk and no trousers. Clement is a straight-shooter and he’s been impressive in the way he’s shaped this current Rangers team into getting results.”
Chris Sutton in another Rangers-Celtic Scottish Premiership title verdict
Whatever you think of Sutton, and most Rangers fans don’t think all too highly of him (understatement of the year), he can never be accused of shirking an opinion.
Begrudgingly, Sutton makes some pretty fair points. The nature of the battle between Celtic and Rangers means there is never any room for error. One week you’re world beaters, the next you’re a team of duds.
The pressure is relentless and even though Rangers have done superbly to fight back from an eight-point deficit, they are only ever one bad result away from being the chasers again in this thrilling race.
But, thus far, the Light Blues have shown great spirit under Clement. Their sole defeat under his leadership was the Old Firm derby at the end of 2023 and the remaining two derby matches this season could still well prove to be where the title is won and lost.
For now, it is important to show they do have the bottle for this fight, starting with St Johnstone on Sunday.
In other Rangers news, Philippe Clement responded after a new backroom hire was mooted.
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