Rangers: Kenny Dalglish insists Celtic should be upset after Ibrox development this week
Kenny Dalglish has insisted Celtic should have been hoping Rangers would defeat Benfica in the Europa League so their focus was taken away from the Scottish Premiership title race.
The legendary Celtic hero revealed his shock at Philippe Clement’s side having lost in Europe, admitting he fancied them to progress at Ibrox against Benfica.
After the defeat, however, Dalglish claims Rangers are in a great position as they know that they just have to keep winning games to become the Champions of Scotland.
Writing in his column for the Sunday Post [17 March], Dalglish shared: “We are now at a stage of the campaign where there is no room for error.
“I was surprised that Philippe Clement’s side lost on Thursday. I fancied them to go through. However, they just came up short. There will be disappointment about that defeat.
“I also think Celtic would have preferred Gers to stay in Europe as it’s a potential drain on their resources in the coming weeks. Rangers know that if they keep winning then they will become league champions. It’s a great position to be in.”
Will Rangers win the SPFL title ahead of Celtic this season?
In a title race that looks set to go right down to the wire, Rangers know that if they win the rest of their games, they will be Champions. That is, of course, easier said than done, but it remains in the hands of Clement’s side and they must ensure they get it done.
There are also two Old Firm clashes left to play that will be as feisty as ever with the added pressure of the title race weighing on both sets of players’ heads. Celtic have had the upper hand in the derby in recent years, but Rangers will need to step up.
Ally McCoist recently insisted that the derby clashes will be “absolutely massive” in deciding who wins the title come the end of the season, as he shared that, at this moment in time, it is a flip of a coin who takes the crown.
McCoist also shared his view that, if Rangers are to win the title this season, the performances of Jack Butland will prove key as the goalkeeper has been excellent since his arrival in the summer.
As Dalglish says, Rangers losing in Europe will allow their focus to rest on the SPFL season, and they must make sure they perform.
In other Rangers news, Kris Boyd hit out at Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack in a new Ibrox claim.
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