Rangers: Kenny Dalglish believes under-fire Gers are still in Premiership title race
Rangers may have missed the chance to overtake Celtic at the Scottish Premiership summit in recent weeks, but Kenny Dalglish says that Philippe Clement’s side are still in title contention.
The Gers followed up a damaging 3-2 loss at Ross County with a goalless draw at Dundee before booking a spot in the Scottish Cup final with a 2-0 win over Hearts at Hampden Park on Sunday (21 April).
In the league, they have it all to do as Celtic have a three-point advantage with only five games left to play.
Writing in the Sunday Post in quotes reported by the Daily Record, Dalglish said: “I don’t think it’s a done deal. There is still a title race on and it could very easily go right down to the wire.
“Rangers need to improve and Philippe Clement needs to find solutions to his problems.
“Most people will say it’s Celtic’s to lose. Rangers deserve credit for getting back up beside them in the table, and they may well yet get back there by May 18.”
Rangers could re-ignite title challenge with win over Hearts
Dalglish’s comments came prior to Rangers facing Hearts in the Scottish Cup semi-finals, and after a defeat and draw in their last two matches, Philippe Clement will be delighted that his side returned to winning ways at Hampden Park.
Rangers’ 3-3 draw against Celtic in the Old Firm left them just a point behind their rivals at the summit, having come from both 2-0 and 3-2 down to hit two quick-fire equalisers in the closing stages.
The ball was in their court as they headed north to Ross County, but after taking a 1-0 lead into half-time, Rangers fell off a cliff in the second period, conceding twice within five minutes of the restart and falling to a 3-2 loss, with James Tavernier’s late penalty only a consolation.
Clement’s side had a chance to right those wrongs at Dens Park in a match which had twice been rearranged by bad weather, but again they underperformed in a 0-0 stalemate.
That set up this Scottish Cup semi-final as a must-win for both squad morale and domestic success and thankfully for Clement they got the job done.
The victory takes them back to Hampden for a chance to win the Scottish Cup against their Old Firm rivals and it may just provide the spark Rangers need to get their Premiership title bid back on track.
In other Rangers news, a Sky Sports pundit has been left outraged by a Gers ace who is “getting paid a fortune”.
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