It never ceases to amaze just how quickly the balance of power shifts between Celtic and Rangers, as they vie for dominance of Scottish football.
Celtic’s one-nil win in last Wednesday’s Old Firm encounter propelled Neil Lennon’s side two points clear of their great rivals at the top of the SPL. And whilst the momentum is clearly with the Parkhead club as we move into the second half of the league season – they have now won nine consecutive league matches - it would be foolish at this point to assume that this will inevitably carry them to the title come May.
However, it should be acknowledged that the recent turnaround in the Glasgow clubs’ respective fortunes has been nothing short of astonishing. Incredibly, it’s less than two months since Celtic were 3-0 down to Kilmarnock at half-time at Rugby Park, and Neil Lennon was staring into the abyss.
With Rangers enjoying a seemingly impregnable 15-point lead (albeit having played two games more than Celtic), the league race appeared as good as over, and Lennon’s days as hoops manager looked to be numbered. (The Irishman has since admitted his thoughts turned to resignation during that fraught opening 45 minutes).
As it turned out, Celtic scored three times in the second half to secure an unlikely draw. A point, it seems, which has galvanised a side previously bereft of confidence. Celtic’s resurgence has been aided in no small measure by the faltering form of Rangers over the corresponding period.
The Ibrox club made a superb start to the season, winning their first seven matches away from home in the process, as they quickly built an apparently unassailable lead. However, they have taken only ten points out of a possible 21 from their last seven matches, and have lost three of their last four on the road.
The loss of Steven Naismith to injury has undeniably been a blow – by all accounts the Scottish international is unlikely to feature again this season. And to make matters worse, it’s being strongly hinted that top scorer Nikica Jelavić may be sold in January to one of the English Premiership clubs who have been credited with an interest in the Croatian striker.
Manager Ally McCoist would be loathe to lose Jelavić for obvious reasons, but whether Rangers could afford to reject a bid in excess of £5m remains to be seen. Celtic have also had their injury problems to contend with this season, although it seems that the return of captain Scott Brown, and last season’s player of the year Emilio Izaguirre (both from lengthy absences), has come at an opportune time for them.
While Celtic’s squad looks strong, with quality cover in most positions, Rangers’ selection options appear rather more modest by comparison. Pressure will inevitably be placed on Rangers owner Craig Whyte to make funds available to McCoist to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window, although Rangers’ ongoing financial woes mean that significant investment is unlikely.
McCoist will be concerned that Celtic’s win last week, which came courtesy of a second half header by Joe Ledley, was secured despite the Parkhead club playing below their own high standards of late. Even allowing for the atrocious weather conditions – strong winds made attractive football by either side virtually impossible – Celtic were able to take the three points with relative ease, despite McCoist’s pre-match conviction that his players would win the match, and consolidate their lead at the top of the table.
Predictably, just as Rangers fans were loudly proclaiming their team as champions-in- waiting less than two months ago, now many of a green persuasion are maintaining that Celtic will prove unstoppable in their quest to win their first league title in four seasons.
However, just as Neil Lennon will be ensuring that complacency doesn’t creep into his side’s work, so Ally McCoist will be reminding his own players that the league race is far from over. McCoist will know that if his own side’s 15-point lead can be overturned in less than two months, then surely Celtic’s two-point advantage with seventeen games remaining is far from insurmountable.
That old adage about the league race being a marathon, not a sprint, never rang more true. Celtic are rightly considered favourites as things stand, but a lot of football remains to be played before this season’s league championship race is won and lost.