Philippe Clement has delivered an early Christmas laugh for Celtic fans or a warning to us, depending on what side of the fence you sit on, potentially likening his Rangers side to Manchester City’s treble winners after their laboured 1-0 victory over a struggling St Johnstone. Despite being a daunting 11 points behind Celtic in the league, Clement remains adamant that “nothing is decided in December.”
Reflecting on his team’s slim win, secured thanks to an own goal rather than a moment of brilliance, the Ibrox manager looked to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City for inspiration. “I think Manchester City a few years ago was a really good example because everybody didn’t give them any chance in December and everything was bad,” he said. “But they won a treble.”
It’s a bold comparison, to say the least. Guardiola’s side had the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland at their disposal, while Clement’s Rangers outfit has struggled to put away teams sitting at the bottom of the SPFL. St Johnstone barely laid a glove on Rangers, but Clement’s team failed to impress in response, stumbling to victory.
Soccer Football – Scottish Premiership – Celtic v Rangers – Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – September 1, 2024 Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers and Rangers manager Philippe Clement Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Clement is keen to downplay the growing gap between themselves and Celtic at the top of the table, insisting that his focus is solely on the immediate future. “I’m not counting,” he explained. “I want the mentality from my players that they look to the next game and put all their energy into that and not start calculating or whatever.”
This so-called “winning mentality” hasn’t exactly shone through in Rangers’ performances, but Clement remains steadfast in his belief. “Nothing ever in a season is decided in December about the season,” he told The Rangers Review, as if to reassure a fanbase that has seen Celtic dominate the league so far.
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Clement’s words may be aimed at galvanising his squad, but they’re unlikely to strike fear into the hearts of Celtic fans. Comparing his side’s faltering form to the incredible feats of Manchester City feels like a stretch at best and delusional at worst.
Celtic, meanwhile, have been relentless. With Brendan Rodgers at the helm, the Hoops have barely broken a sweat while building their commanding lead. Rangers’ patchy displays, by contrast, have left their fans relying more on hope than expectation.
As Clement urges his players to “win every game,” the reality is that Celtic, even if they do go through a sticky patch will likely drop less points than Rangers have already this season.
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