Prior to Celtic’s match, Philippe Clement updates the team on the Rangers defender’s injuries

RANGERS manager Philippe Clement has branded the comments his Celtic counterpart Brendan Rodgers made the previous day disrespectful to his crew and cranked tensions between the bitter town opponents up a notch in advance of the Old Firm game.

Rodgers referred to that the Scottish champions “can have a bit of fun” in the cinch Premiership suit towards their nearest challengers at Parkhead next Saturday following his side’s satisfied 3-0 triumph over third-placed Hearts.

Clement, whose expenses got here from at the back of to beat Kilmarnock 4-1 at Ibrox this afternoon and reduce the league leaders’ cushion at the top of the table to three points, took a dim view of the Northern Irishman’s remarks.

“That it is some thing that I would in no way say about an opponent,” he said. “It’s not surely respectful toward my team. That is what I think. So I will in no way say things like that about an opponent. But okay, we will see.”

Clement used to be pleased with how his charges, who went a purpose down in the first-half when Rangers captain James Tavernier put the ball into his very own net, responded to falling behind and admitted he is searching forward to the Celtic game.

“We had a simply accurate start to the game,” he said. “We had been fast, we have been robust in the duels, we were winning the duels, we were playing ahead and developing chances. The VAR thought we must have had a penalty due to the fact he requested the referee to the screen. Apparently the referee didn’t agree and it stays a challenging rule for me.

“If I look back at the penalty we get in opposition to Kilmarnock here then this one is a good deal greater clear. But you need to be given that in that moment and go on. Then you have a situation where the first ball in your box is a intention in a sincerely unlucky way.

“You want to react as a crew and the group did that and that’s what we are working on for a lengthy time. Several times they have come back from a hard situation and we kept on pushing.

“We did that all recreation lengthy to get the exceptional result and that’s three factors in opposition to a Kilmarnock crew we know and spoke about the stat earlier than the game. Since December three they only lost twice in the league and that used to be towards Rangers and nobody else. So to do that three instances in a row is a big achievement.”

Clement added: “We are going to battle until the very end, but I didn’t want that recreation these days for that. We had been all upset about the two outcomes (the defeat to Ross County andd draw with Dundee) and that’s what the team did.

“For me, that’s the simple of being a team and becoming a properly team, is to by no means give up. The crew did that already several instances and they comprehend they can do it. We will go on with that attitude until the closing 2nd of the season.’

“I am looking ahead to that and to be sincere as a manager I would love that it used to be tomorrow alternatively of next week. But that is possibly not so good for my players! We are sincerely hungry for that game.

“Six months in the past we had been seven points behind and now we are three points at the back of and we can come equal. The team has already achieved a lot of steps and now it is about making the next step.”

Rangers centre half of Leon Balogun failed to reappear for the second-half the day prior to this due to a stress he suffered, however Clement is hopeful the trouble is now not too serious and the Nigerian internationalist will be available to play towards Celtic.

“He was injured that is why I had to substitute him,” he said. “I hope it is a small muscle injury. We will see in the next couple of days. But he struggled too plenty to continue.”

Celtic are three points clear of Rangers with three games last and additionally have a most efficient intention distinction of five – however Clement stressed that he was not pissed off that his side had not been able to internet more towards Kilmarnock.

“Frustration is a terrible word if you rating four goals,” he said. “Of path you desire extra dreams like any manager. But I understand additionally that groups conflict in opposition to a team of 10 (Joe Wright was once sent off in the first-half) who are all defending to create these opportunities.

“So in that way we did a lot of things excellent and scored good goals. We ignored a penalty and it must have been five. Efficiency is by no means perfect. You have maybe one or two games in your profession as a manager where every risk is a goal.

“I didn’t have this moment yet, so I am hoping maybe subsequent week or the subsequent couple of months it will show up once. I assume it is not the second to communicate about that. First of all it is about getting the three points. It is now for next week to go full for three factors and after that we can communicate about those things.”

Rangers prepare for Celtic championship squeeze as derby day of reckoning approaches following madcap Killie drama – three talking points

The Ibrox facet delivered the victory they wished to remain in the title race with the site visitors decreased to 10 men.

Rangers reduce the hole at the top of the Scottish Premiership back to three factors on leaders Celtic with a 4-1 win over 10-man Kilmarnock at Ibrox to set up a colossal Old Firm title showdown at Parkhead.

James Tavernier netted an early personal intention and then blew the hazard to degree from the spot when his penalty was saved through Will Dennis after Joe Wright handled on the line to deny Dujon Sterling which earned the Killie man a red card.

Rangers took gain of the more man to level deep into the eight minutes of first half harm time thru Fabio Silva and alternative Ben Davies – on for the harm Leon Balogun at half time – was once the not going scorer to put Gers in the front early in the second half to ease nerves and fellow sub Tom Lawrence scored a screamer and it was once his shot that was once saved that led to John Souttar including a fourth when he nodded domestic the rebound.

Rangers’ Fabio Silva celebrates scoring their first goal of the game

With the large stress Rangers had been under to get the win, a quickly begin was once fundamental and they have been nearly with a dream threat to open the scoring from the spot when David Dickinson was once despatched to the display by means of VAR Steven Kirkland for a possible handball against Corrie Ndaba but the whistler stick to his unique selection now not to award a penalty.

There used to be the prosecute of some other penalty inside 10 minutes when Cyriel Dessers went down internal the box however the striker had been offside in the build-up so it was once any other break out for Killie who have been living dangerously early on however especially the visitors grabbed the lead. Danny Armstrong did properly down the right, clipped a ball into the back publish for Liam Polworth and Matty Kennedy knocked it back across aim and it deflected off Tavernier and beyond Jack Butland.

It was an incident-packed opening with VAR at the coronary heart of most of it early solely and Dickinson was again sent to the reveal to take a look at a handball by means of Wright on the line. It looked like Fabio Silva would possibly have been offside in the build up when he crossed for Sterling but once it used to be tested the Portuguese was once onside, the penalty used to be awarded. The whistler then had no preference but to award the penalty with the Killie stopper dismissed. Tavernier stepped up but his effort was saved brilliantly through Dennis.

There was actual frustration in the stands at Ibrox as Gers struggled to cut the site visitors open despite having a man benefit but they did take hold of that essential equaliser on the stroke of 1/2 time. John Lundstram floated a ball into the field and Silva did nicely to escape former Ibrox youngster Lewis Mayo and information the ball into the backside corner.

Fabio Silva of Rangers scores his team’s opening goal

It was a high-quality finish but, given it used to be only an equaliser in a recreation the place they wished goals, overdone the social gathering as he milked the second through pointing to the the returned of his shirt.

Leon Balogun stayed in at the damage with a suggested lower back problem whilst Davies got here in for his first appearance in nearly five months and he proved a quintessential introduction as he fired Gers in front. Lundstram drilled a long range shot on goal which Dennis spilled and Davies pounced to squeeze home the rebound.

There used to be remedy around Ibrox after that and it was once a hazard to strive and eat into Celtic’s purpose advantage. Mohamed Diomande almost did it solely to see his effort crash off the crossbar but alternative Lawrence made no mistake with the ex Derby County man receiving a pass about 20 yards out taking a contact to create area earlier than sending a remarkable shot behind Dennis and Souttar carried out the scoring in injury time with a header into the net. Here’s three talking factors from Ibrox:

Gers nevertheless in the title hunt but can they win derby?

Victory was sincerely a have to right here for the Light Blues if they desired to have any danger of winning the Scottish Premiership and they did that. It wasn’t exceptionally at times and when they fell a intention in the back of there were lots of nerves. But they did what they had to do, albeit towards 10 guys for the majority of the game, and deserve deposit for getting the job done. However, the next question is whether or not they did it in a manner that suggests they can win at Parkhead which is what they have to do now if they are to win the league. That appears not likely on this performance even if the way they completed the game will supply them a bit of self assurance heading across the city. They go in three factors in the back of and while they did have that two-game collapse, it is a role they would have taken when they have been seven factors at the back of in October.

VAR drama

It used to be challenging to hold up with the amount of decisions the officers made early on which contributed to the game being so stop-start. There used to be no rhythm to the match, although that would have applicable the visitors an awful lot extra – mainly after they had taken an early lead. But there were huge selections even earlier than the goal.

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – MAY 05: Referee David Dickinson checks the VAR monitor for a potential handball against Kilmarnock’s Corrie Ndaba during a cinch Premiership match between Rangers and Kilmarnock at Ibrox Stadium, on May 05, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

Referee David Dickinson was once sent to the reveal after solely a couple of minutes when the ball struck Corrie Ndaba’s hand but Dickinson caught via his personal decision. However, it took a long way too lengthy for him to be sent to the display and it proved to be the incorrect call through Steven Kirkland at Clydesdale House. It set the tone for a fussy first half of choices and backed up those followers who reckon the technological know-how ruins the spectator experience.

Job accomplished for Killie

The end result here was once in no way going to make any difference to an incredible season for Kilmarnock. The Ayrshiremen’s celebrations clearly began 24 hours earlier than kick off as they secured European soccer for subsequent season without kicking a ball when Dundee lost towards St Mirren. That said, Derek McInnes would have been eager to put on a exhibit in the front of the TV cameras. And they looked like they had been going to make life a lot more uncomfortable for Rangers after taking the lead in bizarre trend via James Tavernier’s personal purpose but the purple card to Joe Wright and the time they conceded the equaliser, proper on half of time, supposed they had a mountain to climb.