The Old Firm rivals go head to head on Sunday and a game that has huge significance in terms of the title race
Kris Boyd has warned Rangers and Celtic it’s over and out for their title hopes if they lose at Ibrox on Sunday.
The Old Firm giants have been left chasing Hearts, with Derek McInnes’ Tynecastle shocktroops holding a vital advantage heading into a potentially defining weekend. Both Glasgow sides suffered fresh slip-ups ay the weekend, with Gers being held to a 2-2 draw by basement boys Livingston while Martin O’Neill’s men were losing to Hibs at home.
And it means that should McInnes’ men beat Aberdeen at home on Saturday, the Jambos will be able to kick back and relax ahead of their rivals’ big showdown in Govan the following day knowing they sit seven point ahead of Gers and nine in front of Celtic, who have a game less than the two sides above them.
But with games running out, former Rangers striker Boyd believes the losing side at Ibrox can kiss goodbye to their hopes of snatching the crown.
He said: “I feel Rangers have to get to the split points ahead if they’re going to win the title — and I don’t mean just one or two. I was looking at four or five to have that buffer given their tough run after the split. Hearts have the gap right now. They can afford to have a slip-up here and there.
“But the chasing pack have lost that luxury. And you also now need to add in the fact the Old Firm play each other this weekend. Hearts, whenever they’ve had that setback they’ve been able to bounce back the following week. Rangers and Celtic are going to have to do that at the weekend — but both cannot do it.
“So I personally feel that whoever loses this game at Ibrox is out of the title race. And that’s especially the case when you look at Celtic right now. They’re in disarray with some of the things that’s happening. You look at the performances, they’re miles off it. Martin touched on it himself a couple of weeks ago. You can’t keep depending on last-minute goals.
“And from Rangers’ point of view, when you go to Livingston, you’ve got to win those games. As for Hearts, you imagine they’re going to put pressure on Rangers and Celtic because I fully expect them to beat Aberdeen.”
Gers’ first-half lethargy at Livi cost Danny Rohl’s team dear as they were forced to scramble back from 2-0 down to snatch a point. It’s the third away game on the bounce that the Light Blues have been forced to settle for a share of the spoils – and Boyd fears his old side’s patchy form on the road will come back to bite.
He said: “When you look at Rangers’ last three away performances, they’ve not been good enough. You could point to them individually and say a good point at Easter Road, a good point at Motherwell, and then Livi – but you’ve got to be beating these teams. It’s Glasgow Rangers after all.
“You’ve got to look at the bigger picture. It’s three away games in a row now for Rangers that they’ve failed to win. It’s something that Danny Rohl has to sort. You only need to look at that Hearts game a couple of weeks ago when I thought Rangers were outstanding.
“But you can’t just expect just to rock up at grounds away from home and get three points — it doesn’t work like that. The contrast in Rangers’ from at home to away is a worry. They found a way to get themselves up for a game against Hearts because it was a big game against the team at the top of the table, so they had to win it. But when you look at the performances against in the three away games I’ve just mentioned, they’ve been nowhere near that level.”
Rohl and O’Neill are leading the chasers – but Boyd reckons McInnes is enjoying his perch out in front. He said: “A lot of people laughed at Derek McInnes and had a go that he was under pressure, that he was cracking. He must be the only manager that’s under pressure and cracking when he’s stating facts. That’s the reality of it.
“His team have been at the top of the table for a number of months now.