With big games this festive season, both Celtic and Rangers will be trying their hardest to land the final blow before the winter shutdown in January. The Scottish title race is officially underway.
While Rangers have two league games in hand over their city rivals, Celtic leads the Scottish Premiership by five points at the moment. The big Old Firm derby matchup is scheduled for December 30.
In addition to their scheduled match against Hibernian on January 24, Rangers will now need to schedule a match against Ross County for later in the new year due to today’s postponement.
In comparison to their rivals Celtic, Philippe Clement’s team will have to play these two games as part of a major 2023 hangover in the second half of the season. It is reasonable to say that this could have a significant impact as the title race barrels into its pivotal months.
Rangers have two games in hand over Celtic, who have clearly played more league games this season, but the team’s most taxing schedule has come from matches in other competitions.
The Govan team has already participated in four additional European qualifying matches this season, including two hard doubleheaders against Servette and PSV Eindhoven that are likely to have had a significant negative psychological and physical impact on the team.
They now have a two-leg Europa League last-16 match that will take place in the new year. If they can make it to the tournament’s quarterfinals, that matchup could obviously include more games.
In terms of fixture congestion, Clement’s recent Viaplay League Cup success also came at a price. Compared to Celtic, winning the hotly contested final against Aberdeen was just one of three extra games in the competition.
Rangers participated in the tournament’s quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship game after Brendan Rodgers’ team was eliminated by Kilmarnock in the round of 16; they eventually won the trophy for the first time since 2011.
The Ibrox squad will undoubtedly be impacted by all of the previously mentioned games, and manager Clement has already discussed the injury nightmare that is currently plaguing his locker room.
Clement has had a lot of selection issues lately, particularly in central midfield, because Connor Goldson, Borna Barisic, Ben Davies, Kemar Roofe, John Lundstram, Jose Cifuentes, Tom Lawrence, Danilo, Ryan Jack, Nico Raskin, and Steven Davis are currently sidelined with various ailments.
“We assess the players’ fitness and the situation on a daily basis,” Clement remarked following Motherwell on Christmas Eve. “I’m living day to day because it’s hard to plan ahead.
The fact that the structure remains intact with two unfamiliar players in midfield despite having nine injured players is what pleases me the most.
“You fail to notice the distinction. To complete the task at hand, the team is incredibly concentrated and focused.
“Everyone is aware of our methods; we consistently win games by dominating and maintaining clean sheets.”
Clement is correct that the team has maintained consistency in their performances and results since he moved into the building, but will they be able to handle the demanding schedule that lies ahead in the second half of the season? It is yet to be determined.
With only the Premiership and Scottish Cup to focus on, Celtic is currently leading and will be favorites going into the league championship stages. Long-term, that will be a huge benefit for Rodgers and his team, and the Rangers will be well aware of this advantage throughout the city.
For Clement, the January transfer window was always going to be crucial, but with a busy schedule ahead, the Ibrox club is under even more pressure to close their business sensibly and astutely come January 1.
To maintain the best possible squad performance for both home and European games, the Belgian must bolster his ranks with more talent and make sure there is a weekly competition for spots.
In the January window, Celtic will face comparable obstacles, but Rangers need to focus on themselves. The team may be in for a memorable first season under the direction of their Belgian manager if they can make smart hiring decisions and benefit from better injury luck in the second half of the campaign.
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