Former Rangers midfielder Barry Ferguson has had to eat humble pie over writing Celtic off in the title race. Less than two weeks ago, Ferguson boldly predicted that by now, Celtic would trail Rangers by five points in the title race. Yet, the reality has been starkly different, and it’s Celtic fans who now have more of the confidence Ferguson once held.

The sequence of events that debunked Ferguson’s forecast began at Ibrox, where Rangers faced off against their Celtic in a match that ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw. The hope for a Rangers’ lead over Celtic required three consecutive wins, but that plan quickly unraveled. Following the draw, Rangers suffered a surprising 3-2 defeat at Ross County, and further disappointment followed with a stalemate in a 0-0 draw against Dundee.

Ferguson, reflecting on his misguided prediction, was candid in his admission. “No one enjoys having to admit when they’ve got it wrong. So what I’m about to write won’t be easy,” he told RecordSport. “But a couple of weeks ago I didn’t just make a mistake in this column – I ignored all my instincts and threw caution to the wind when I predicted Rangers would go into the post-split fixtures five points clear at the top of the table and on their way to the title.”

Celtic Players Ibrox
Soccer Football – Scottish Premiership – Rangers v Celtic – Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – April 7, 2024 Celtic’s Daizen Maeda celebrates scoring their first goal with Alistair Johnston and teammates REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

Now, the tables have turned—Celtic is not only catching up but has surged ahead, leading the title race by three points.

Ferguson’s miscalculation not only highlights the unpredictability of the title race, but the mindset of a Rangers fan despite being second best for two decades more often than not. Quite frankly, in their position I wouldn’t be making any sort of wild predictions and keep quiet until things look as good as done and dusted. It’s true, when Celtic went to Ibrox, they were discussing among themselves not would they win, but how many goals they’d win by. Now, they’re scrambling and working out permutations needed to win the title with Celtic firmly in the drivers seat.

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