Celtic’s draw with Aberdeen handed Rangers the perfect opportunity to narrow the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Going into their away fixture at Kilmarnock, Rangers sat six points behind Celtic, though with a significant goal difference advantage of +13.
A win at Rugby Park would have cut the gap to three points, putting the Ibrox club right back in the title race. However, Rangers squandered the chance, losing 1-0 to Derek McInnes’ struggling side.
Chris Sutton praises Kilmarnock as Rangers falter:
Following the defeat, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton took to social media to offer his verdict. On Sky Sports duty, Sutton, never one to miss an opportunity to criticise Rangers, commended Kilmarnock’s organisation while highlighting the growing gap between the Glasgow giants.
Sutton said: “Rangers were well and truly Killied. Well played Kilmarnock 👏👏 A superbly organised and disciplined performance. Celtic and Aberdeen widen the gap at the top…”
Tough road ahead for Celtic and Rangers
Celtic’s upcoming fixtures offer a mixture of challenges. They travel to Motherwell next Sunday, a tricky away fixture, before hosting Dundee at Celtic Park on 30th October under the floodlights.
After the international break, Celtic welcome Kilmarnock to Parkhead on 10th November, hoping to extend their lead at the summit.
Meanwhile, Rangers face a challenging run of their own. High-flying St Mirren visit Ibrox next weekend, followed by a difficult trip to Pittodrie to face a resurgent Aberdeen under Jimmy Thelin. After the break, Rangers travel to Motherwell, who currently sit comfortably in the top six.
Rangers risk falling further behind:
If Rangers fail to take maximum points from their next three games, it could spell trouble for their title ambitions.
Another slip-up would leave Celtic with a clear advantage and could see Aberdeen emerge as the Hoops’ closest challengers. As pressure mounts on Rangers to deliver, these fixtures will likely define their season.