Rangers fans are about to find out exactly how far this team has come under Philippe Clement in Aberdeen this afternoon.
After a promising start to Clement’s tenure, already hacking into the seven-point lead Celtic boasted before his arrival, our stuttering Old Firm rivals have presented the Belgian one heck of an opportunity.
Stumbling in an unimpressive 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Parkhead, Celtic’s lack of ruthlessness is growing apparent by the game this season.
The Parkhead squad’s strength in depth is also under increasing scrutiny.
Celtic hand Gers Motherwell chance
Whilst today’s opponents Aberdeen were unsurprisingly slaughtered by Brendan Rodgers’ team before the break, blunt showings against St Johnstone, Hibs and now Motherwell have offered Rangers a route back into the title race.
Whilst the Parkhead side are now nine points ahead of Rangers, the Ibrox side’s progression to the League Cup Final and the fact we play Aberdeen later today means the club has two games in hand.
For Philippe Clement, who is building up a momentum at Rangers separate from the battle with Celtic, the scope to move within three points of our rivals little over a month from his appointment is quite remarkable.
Beat Aberdeen, and win our game in hand v St Johnstone, and suddenly the complexion of the title race in Scotland changes.
Three points is one game and with three Old Firm derbies to come it means that for the first time in a long time Rangers and Celtic may well be readying a Scottish Premiership title scrap.
Can Rangers prove Aberdeen title mettle?
Apart from that 55-winning unbeaten season of 20/21, the Ibrox side have been unable to put up a season-long fight against Celtic.
The notion of a head-to-head title battle – where the bottle of any one team plays as big a role as their ability – is something that will excite Rangers fans watching this current Celtic side.
Against the backdrop of fan fallouts, political drama, Brendan Rodgers’ return and a growing pressure to spend their cash reserves, Parkhead doesn’t appear the most pleasant place to play at the moment.
Rangers, buoyed by Philippe Clement’s no nonsense approach, look like they’re in an upswing but this afternoon’s clash with Aberdeen will tell us a lot.
The bulk of this Rangers squad have always blown their opportunity to properly apply the pressure in a title race with Celtic.
Is this a habit which is set to broken under the club’s new Belgian boss?
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