The upcoming Old Firm derby between the Rangers and Celtic football has significant implications for the league title race.
If Rangers lose, it is likely that the league will be out of reach for them, as they already trail Celtic by nine points and have a significantly worse goal difference. Rangers manager Michael Beale has tried to downplay the team’s chances by speaking highly of Celtic’s strong form under manager Ange Postecoglou, but the reality is that Celtic has won 18 of their 19 league games this season, a feat not achieved by any other Celtic manager in history.
Injuries have also been a major problem for Rangers this season, with key players like Filip Helander, John Souttar, Ianis Hagi, Kemar Roofe, and Tom Lawrence all missing significant time due to injury. In order to keep up with Celtic, Rangers will likely need to bring in some new players, but they currently lack the funds and sellable assets to make significant changes to their team.
Celtic, on the other hand, has made a number of smart investments under Postecoglou, including the acquisition of Australian striker Adam Taggart, who has scored 20 league goals so far this season. They also have a number of young talented players coming through the ranks, including Karamoko Dembele and Ewan Henderson.
Despite the challenges facing Rangers, Beale remains optimistic about his team’s chances and is determined to put in a strong performance on Monday. “We know that if we lose, the league is as good as over, but we also know that if we can get a result, we can still be in the mix,” he said in a press conference on Friday. “We have a lot of quality in our squad and we are confident that we can give Celtic a run for their money. It’s going to be a tough game, but we are ready for the challenge.
