Michael Stewart shares Rangers title verdict live on BBC Sportscene in Celtic ‘desire’ message
Rangers remain “slight favourites” in the Scottish Premiership title race but Celtic shouldn’t be written off despite some “real concerns”, according to Michael Stewart.
The Light Blues put the pressure on their Old Firm rivals with an emphatic 5-0 battering of Hearts on Saturday (24 February) but Celtic responded as two late goals earned a comeback 3-1 over Motherwell a day later.
Speaking on BBC Sportscene (25 February), Stewart rates Rangers as the team to beat in the race for the league trophy but thinks Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will have been happy with the response of his side.
“Brendan Rodgers may well feel there is a narrative that’s building but it’s up to Celtic, himself and the players, to then answer those questions that are being posed of them,” he said.
“I think they are completely valid, Rangers are the team that are in the ascendancy but, as I said, that today, you can compare and contrast it with, for example, the Hibs game where they get a late winner from the penalty spot and you think that should have galvanised them.
“But I didn’t think the performance was there at Easter Road. Where as today, even though there’s big gaps in performance and real concerns in particular with those wide players and the penetration, there was other aspects of the game which will be very pleasing for Brendan Rodgers and it will probably give him a little sense that, yes, there is something there to build upon and start to really get this title race back on track from their perspective.
“Yes, I still do feel they (Rangers_ are slight favourites because the momentum is with them. But, having seen that today, with a bit of fight, a bit of desire and some players coming back I wouldn’t write Celtic off.”
Are Rangers favourites over Celtic in the Scottish Premiership title race?
It needed two extremely late goals for Celtic to leave Fir Park with all three points and Motherwell will have been desperately disappointed to lose the game having played so well for the majority of the contest.
But it was a timely reminder, if ever one were needed, that this fight is only really just starting, it is nowhere near over.
One thing is for sure, though, Philippe Clement will be fully aware of that fact. The Belgian is focused only on the next game and how can Rangers get the job done and they have a tough job at Kilmarnock on Wednesday (28 February) – where they lost on the opening day of the season.
As things stand, Rangers certainly have the momentum and they also still have the lead at the top of the table by two points, but any slip-ups will be pounced upon.
Which is the message that Clement will be reinforcing into his side as they look to stay ahead in the race for the title.
In other Rangers news, the club face red tape in their bid to make a permanent summer transfer.
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