Scottish Premiership: Can Rangers catch Celtic in title race as points gap closes between Old Firm rivals? | Football News

Celtic are no longer the runaway leaders in the Scottish Premiership after their unbeaten run came to an end, while Rangers continue to impress under Philippe Clement.

Brendan Rodgers’ side lost 2-1 at Kilmarnock on Sunday while Rangers beat Dundee 3-1 extending their unbeaten run under the Belgian to 12 games across all competitions, picking up 22 points from a possible 24 in the league.

Celtic, meanwhile, have picked up just 17 over their last eight games and their lead on Rangers at the top of the table is down to five points – plus Brendan Rodgers’ side have played a game more.

The Old Firm rivals will clash at Celtic Park on December 30 – We asked former Celtic defender Mark Wilson and ex-Rangers captain Lee McCulloch to assess the challenges ahead…

Is there a real title race ahead?

Mark Wilson

Not so long ago it was looking a bit easy street for Celtic but it certainly has opened the door.

Probably the unfortunate thing for Rangers is that with the games in hand and the cup final coming up, they’re going to get to a stage where they face Celtic on December 30 and they still have that Hibs game to play in January.

They’ve given themselves an opportunity, Philippe Clement has come in and he’s found a way of playing that’s effective.

They don’t concede many goals and have scored plenty. If they can continue that to December 30 and Celtic continue with the form that they showed at Kilmarnock, then who knows what that could do for the title race.

It’s certainly a lot closer than it has been in recent weeks.

Lee McCulloch

I think Celtic would be favourites still with the experience they’ve got in the dressing room of winning the league, with the manager they’ve got and the experience he’s had of winning the Scottish league and that treble treble.

It’s just good to see Rangers progressing, progressing in the right way under a tremendous manager and I think given time for him to put his stamp in the squad, then it’ll be a lot closer.

He’s working with another manager’s players and he’s got the best out of the bulk of players.

I think if you look back at some of the signings, they were looking a little bit short on confidence and now they’re playing with a bit of confidence and a swagger.

He’s been unlucky with injury in certain areas of the pitch so I would imagine he’ll be wanting to strengthen in a couple of positions.

Who will win the next Old Firm clash?

Mark Wilson

Brendan Rodgers loves that fixture, he’s hugely successful in it and he’ll fancy his squad.

There’s no doubt that Celtic, for me, has still got the better squad. They’ve still got the best chance of winning this league but they’ve hit a bump in the road and they need to smooth out quickly.

They’ve got Feyenoord coming up on Wednesday night that Brendan Rodgers says he requires a positive outcome from and Hearts next week, probably a favourable fixture given the way Hearts are going at the minute.

If they get those right, it’s another home game against Livingston then they put themselves in a good position to face Dundee and then Rangers.

Brendan Rodgers’ history is good in this fixture, he’ll fancy it come the end of the month.

Lee McCulloch

It’s important domestically Rangers don’t drop any more points going into the Old Firm game and then that will give them the best chance to lay down a marker.

I don’t necessarily think Rangers need to go to Celtic Park and win it if they have the maximum points going into it they can be going there with a bit of confidence, still with European football and hopefully a cup in the bag to set it up perfectly going into a winter break.

I just think it’s game time for Rangers, not getting carried away and not really focusing on what Celtic are doing. I think we should be concentrating on ourselves.

There could be a serious title challenge which, being realistic, there hasn’t really been enough of that in the Scottish game in the past eight to 10 years. It’s exciting for probably the neutral and I think from a Rangers perspective, they just need to keep on grinding out.

What do the clubs need to do in January?

Mark Wilson

It is glaringly obvious that the backup act to the first-choice Celtic starting XI is nowhere near good enough to come in and take those spots and create real competition.

I think Brendan Rodgers will be desperate for a couple of things, to get those injured players in Reo Hatate and Liel Abada back in the side but also the January transfer window to come where he can add the quality that he’s going on about so much.

Cameron Carter-Vickers is head and shoulders the best defender at the club but there’s a calmness about him that he brings to the rest.

If he is out at any stage who does he bring in? You’ve got Nat Phillips, who’s on loan and will probably go back to his parent club, and you’ve got Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke waiting in the wings but proved not good enough to take part this season.

I think the Celtic fans would like to see one of them to see if it’s possible that they could be a replacement for either Scales or Carter-Vickers if they’re not at it.

Kyogo, for me, is still the best striker in the country however the opportunities just seem to have dried up about now.

I don’t think Oh has proven to be the backup that Celtic need at this time. It’s coming up to a year since he’s been at the club and his goalscoring return hasn’t been great.

I think Brendan Rodgers will address it, although I still think there’s a place at Celtic for Oh, I don’t think he’s the man to really push Kyogo.

At any top club, if you’re a top striker you know that you need to be at the top of your game if there’s someone ready to take your place and I don’t think Kyogo has got that competition at the minute.

Lee McCulloch

You’ve got Philippe Clement working with a squad that he’s not signed any of them, so he’ll be looking to put his stamp on the squad and the team as well.

I think he’s completely brought the standards back, raised the standards from what they were at the start of the season and made them harder to beat.

He’s changed the culture, environment and mentality in a short space of time.

He’s done a tremendous job and I think the board have made the right appointment.

Rangers fans won’t be getting carried away, I don’t think anybody will. It’s a really important time and I think the manager will get to bring in his own sort of style of player in the January window.

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