Rangers are good enough to beat Celtic on Hogmanay says Kris Boyd

[ian1964 10,487]

The former Ibrox favourite thinks the financial disparity between the clubs is huge but believes his former side can still spring a shock in the next derby fixture.

 

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd says the gap between his old club and Premiership leaders Celtic is "massive" - but reckons they can beat them on Hogmanay.

 

Brendan Rodgers' side currently have an 11-point advantage at the top over second-placed Gers, with Celtic having two games in hand to boot.

 

And the Kilmarnock hitman believes the Ibrox side were realistically never going to be able to take the Hoops all the way in the title race this season.

 

"That was never going to happen with the wage bill," Boyd said. "The gap is massive right now between the clubs in terms of points, the money that Celtic are spending. The wages, the players they can sign. It's miles apart.

 

"Hopefully Rangers can get back there because Scotland needs both of them to be firing on all cylinders to have a good national team and hopefully we can turn the corner and get both Rangers and Celtic successful in Europe.

 

"It will take time but that's the nature of the beast playing for Rangers or Celtic. The week before is forgotten about the next morning and they're focusing on the up and coming game."

 

Boyd looked ahead to the Hogmanay fixture between the sides at Ibrox and reckons Mark Warburton's side can avenge the 5-1 September drubbing.

 

He told Sky Sports News: "They'll definitely fancy themselves to win the game. The last one, 5-1, Rangers had a chance at 2-1 through Barrie McKay, he cut inside and he put it wide of the post.

 

"Celtic went up the pitch and scored and Rangers had Senderos sent off from there, so there wasn't much in that game despite the result making it look a lot worse. Rangers will fancy their chances, there's no doubt about it and with home advantage as well."

 

Rangers won the Championship in style last season but have struggled for any consistent run of winning results in the top-flight, but Boyd is heartened for his former employers that they have managed to win big games in recent weeks.

 

He said: "Last year they steamrollered everybody and this season has been a bit up and down, but they're still second. They came in for a bit of criticism for the performance at Tynecastle but they've beaten Hearts and Aberdeen off the back of that.

 

"They've got themselves back into second position and I fully expect them to stay there.

 

"I think it's just the expectation of the club. The fans want to win every game. It's difficult because of where they've been the last few years.

 

"They've started winning games ugly and finding ways to grind out results and that's all the fans want, to win games of football."

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-good-enough-beat-celtic-9464206

[Norris Cole 0]

Of course we can, if we're up for it.

[colinstein 294]

We've turned a corner. Seen off the also rans. We've toughened up and playing good football.

meanwhile the tims are struggling. A scrappy win over Accies being put down to "nervous"

All the portents are there for us...........my prediction is they'll gub us two nuthin'

[Uilleam 5,542]

The only thing that the team has to fear is fear itself.

 

(The kind of sentiment that FDR would have expressed, if he had been invited to give a pre-match talk. I can't help feeling that the Club slipped up there.)

[JFK-1 1,684]

The difference in the performance of the team between recently and when we last played them is like night and day and even then the last time was a narrow 1-0. This time we have been gaining some consistency and it's at home. And presumably they will have no fans there because apparently they all expect the stadium to collapse at any minute. We can take them. I know it and the players know it.

 

Aside from that though if we take them it's going to be a new round of excuses and if there are no immediately obvious excuses to grasp then it's a conspiracy. Masonic ref, mind control, lizard people etc.

[Gribz 743]

I think we have a decent chance also. That game came a bit early and a lot of fans and possibly people within the club were thinking we could repeat the April semi final. But those OF scores are always one offs and have happened in the past and show no true reflection between the teams.

 

Our defence is starting to improve and we are getting a bit more consistent even if it started with last minute wins against Dundee and Partick - its still a start.

[scotjo 19]

I am quietly confident we will get the win, think we have it in us to shake them in front of our fans.

[compo 6,280]

As big Jock would have said time to get the battle head on and go out and do them .

[the gunslinger 3,366]

We have a chance if we keep playing well. 40 60 maybe.

 

 

[barca72 440]

I would be very careful with both Garner and McKay in the next two games. At the first sign of trouble with Garner, I'd sub him because of his high caution count. Same with McKay if the hammer-throwers start to go after him.

We can't afford not to have both of these guys start against them in the Hogmanay game.