Celtic fans were bracing for a frustrating weekend after watching their side surrender a 2-0 lead against Aberdeen at Parkhead, settling for a disappointing 2-2 draw.
But despite Celtic dropping points, the pressure shifted to Rangers, who had the perfect opportunity to narrow the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership with an away win at Kilmarnock.
However, Rangers squandered their chance to close the gap, suffering a 1-0 defeat to Derek McInnes’ side at Rugby Park. The result left former Rangers striker Kris Boyd seething at his old club, furious that they allowed Celtic to extend their lead at the top to six points.
Boyd blasts Rangers’ performance: ‘Not good enough’
Boyd did not hold back in his post-match analysis on Sky Sports, criticising Rangers’ inability to take advantage of the lifeline handed to them by Celtic’s draw. The defeat, he insisted, was symptomatic of deeper issues within the team.
“It’s not been good enough, and you might be winning games at football, but Rangers never dominate any game—never,” Boyd said.
“There’s no intensity to play. There’s no sharpness. They don’t create anything. It’s more hope that they’re going to score a goal. The substitutions don’t impact games. They are miles off it.
“And everybody’s like, ‘Oh, here he goes, he’s having another go, he’s having another rant.’ It’s the truth, and the sooner people realise that this ain’t working, the better.”
Rangers miss chance to close the gap:
Boyd was visibly frustrated, reflecting on how Rangers wasted a crucial opportunity to make up ground in the title race.
“I really, I don’t know,” Boyd continued.
“As I said, you got a lifeline yesterday. You look at it and you think to yourself, ‘Right? OK, there’s a chance to get yourself back in a title race.’
“It’s not a surprise, that result today. We said at the top of the show—Kilmarnock are a physical team and will cause you problems. Rangers, there’s just nothing.”
Boyd also directed criticism toward striker Cyriel Dessers, though he acknowledged the lack of creativity in the team as a whole.
“You look at Cyriel Dessers, and I know it will always fall back on the striker in terms of scoring goals—he’s going to be the one who is criticised. But he doesn’t really get anything created for him either.
“They don’t create anything. They don’t create anything.”
Celtic maintain control at the top:
Celtic can now shift their focus to their upcoming Champions League fixture against Atalanta, relieved that their dropped points against Aberdeen didn’t come at a cost. Instead of being pegged back, they remain six points clear at the top of the table.
While Celtic and Aberdeen fans can look forward to what promises to be a thrilling season, Rangers supporters may already be bracing for a campaign they’ll want to forget if their side cannot quickly rediscover form.