Ryan McGowan has stated that Rangers are clearly outclassed by Celtic and will struggle to challenge them over the course of a full season. With a 12-point gap between the two sides following Rangers’ disappointing loss to St Mirren, it now seems unlikely that Philippe Clement’s team can catch Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic. The two clubs will face off on January 2, with the match being a must-win for Clement, who has failed to defeat Celtic in any of his six attempts so far—a record that is growing increasingly unacceptable to Rangers fans.
McGowan, a former Hearts defender who faced both Glasgow giants while playing for St Johnstone last season and is now competing for the title with Livingston, believes that while anything can happen in a one-off fixture, the gulf in quality over an entire season is undeniable. He shared his thoughts on the BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast, stating: “In one-off games, anything is possible, but when you look at the whole season, Celtic are simply in a different league. As tough as it is for Rangers fans to hear, that’s the reality right now. Rangers just aren’t on Celtic’s level, and Philippe Clement himself has acknowledged that he doesn’t have the depth to compete at that level.”
