Rangers Can Change Tom English’s Mind on Title Race as Celtic Advantage Comes Into Focus

Rangers still have plenty of opportunities to close the gap on Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, despite dropping valuable points against Dundee last weekend.

The 2-2 draw at Dens Park allowed their Old Firm rivals to move four points clear at the top of the table, leaving Derek McInnes with work to do as he attempts to guide the Gers towards the title.

Rangers would have been determined to respond against St Johnstone on Saturday after throwing away their advantage against Dundee.

McInnes has already demonstrated that his side can compete with Celtic, having masterminded impressive victories over Martin O’Neill’s team in consecutive league and cup encounters.

The Ibrox side also delivered a commanding performance against Simo Valakari’s St Johnstone, securing a 4-0 victory that highlighted their attacking potential.

However, Rangers must reproduce that level of performance more consistently if they are to challenge Celtic over the course of the season.

What Rangers must do to overtake Celtic in the title race

McInnes made the decision to leave Kevin Kelsy out against Dundee, a selection choice that attracted criticism following the disappointing result.

Rangers had entered that match on the back of seven consecutive victories, but their failure to secure all three points exposed concerns about their ability to maintain their momentum.

Their performances against Celtic have shown what the squad can achieve, but beating their biggest rivals will not be enough on its own to guarantee Premiership success.

Consistency against the rest of the league could ultimately determine whether Rangers can sustain a serious title challenge.

For now, BBC Sport journalist Tom English continues to favour Celtic to retain the championship. However, he believes Rangers have the potential to change his assessment if they can produce more convincing performances in their upcoming fixtures.

Speaking on BBC Sportsound on 24 October, English said: “I think Rangers are still unproven. They can beat Celtic back-to-back in league and cup, they look incredible, and then they drop points to Dundee.

“Celtic have the capacity to go through all sorts of trauma during a season and they still win the league. I say Celtic will still win the league.

“Rangers can change my mind on that, but they need to start motoring a bit more effectively. They have it in them.”

English’s comments underline the challenge facing McInnes. Rangers have already shown they can overcome Celtic, but they must now demonstrate that they can deliver the same intensity and determination against teams lower down the table.

With four points separating the sides, the gap remains manageable. A consistent run of results could quickly change the complexion of the title race.

How Derek McInnes can get the best out of Rangers

Following several experiments with his starting XI, McInnes appears to be settling on a preferred defensive combination.

Dujon Sterling, Emmanuel Fernandez, Olwethu Makhanya and James Penrice have formed the core of the backline, offering the manager a potential foundation to build upon during the coming weeks.

Unlike Celtic, Rangers do not have the added burden of midweek European fixtures, which should provide McInnes with more opportunities to prepare his squad for domestic matches.

Nevertheless, managing the players’ workload remains important, particularly as the campaign progresses. Rangers have shown signs of losing energy during recent games, raising questions about whether certain players need more opportunities to rest.

McInnes has been reluctant to make extensive use of his substitutes in recent matches, but greater rotation could help maintain the team’s intensity.

Ben Godfrey and Tuur Rommens were introduced against St Johnstone, and giving them more regular minutes could provide valuable alternatives when the manager needs to refresh his side.

There are also options in midfield, where Nicolas Raskin and Dan Neil have carried significant responsibilities. Vanja Dragojevic and Tochi Chukwuani could offer additional energy and allow McInnes to manage their workload more effectively.

Rangers have the quality to challenge Celtic, but maintaining that level throughout a long domestic campaign will require contributions from across the squad.

If McInnes can find the right balance between consistency, rotation and tactical flexibility, Rangers will have a better chance of turning their promising performances against Celtic into a sustained title challenge.

Ultimately, the message from English is straightforward: Rangers have shown their potential, but they must prove they can deliver results week after week before they can be considered favourites to win the Scottish Premiership.