Rangers have withdrawn their request to postpone their Premiership clash against St Mirren, and the reason, it’s been claimed, has everything to do with Celtic.
After dropping points in their opening two league matches, the Ibrox club are already four behind Brendan Rodgers’ side. They had originally asked for the St Mirren fixture to be moved to help with European commitments, but that request has now been quietly pulled.
It’s understood the decision to keep the match on the calendar was influenced by the potential points gap Celtic could open up before the first derby of the season. If Rangers had sat out the weekend of the 23rd, and Celtic beat Livingston as expected, the gap would have stretched to seven before a ball was kicked at Ibrox.
Andy Walker believes the reversal is a direct response to Celtic’s early momentum in the title race.
He said: (Go Radio Football Show), “Well, what’s changed is Rangers have drawn their first two league games.
“They would assume that Celtic will beat Livingston if the game against St. Mirren is postponed. That would take it to seven points.
“And then you’ve got the prospect of Celtic coming to Ibrox at the end of the month with the potential of being ten points in front.
“And that’s the reason they’ve changed it.”
Brendan Rodgers has made no secret of the importance he places on strong starts. With two wins from two, Celtic are setting the pace, while Rangers already find themselves playing catch-up.
The decision to keep their domestic calendar intact suggests Russell Martin is now under pressure to stop the bleeding early, and that the club see the upcoming visit from Celtic as a make-or-break moment.
For Celtic, the task remains simple. Win at Livingston and go into Ibrox with maximum points and all the pressure on their rivals.
Yeah poor club management yet it was the rangers that being complaining for a couple of seasons that spl dont help Scottish clubs in Europe now if they lose the two games what comedy of erros this club its one balls up after another yes 49ers consortium are in it for profit they are spending in a gamble that they will recover it by qualifying for champions league no they are coming up against there hardest opponents they last away game was woeful and against the Greeks both teams missed so many good chances yet the rangers somehow get a goal against the run of play they know they have to improve manager is telling them there two league games they have went to acknowledge there supports only to be booed you could see the look on the players even tavernier got them a point from a dogy decision we gave seen so many times by this ref for the ipox club they are going to run out of luck they have had in Europe this season and everyone knows its coming but media still have them up there what game do the watch club was sold to the only bidders just to get shareholders money back they had no thought if the rangers future i doubt any of them go to ipox now