BBC pundit predicts whether Rangers or Celtic will win league title
BBC Scotland pundit Steven Thompson has rubbished Daniel Candeias’ claim Rangers could win the Scottish Premiership – and insists Celtic will win the title “comfortably.”
The Portuguese winger said that “anything can happen” in the title race, as quoted by the Daily Record, after the Gers closed to nine points behind leaders Celtic.
The Light Blues could end the weekend only six off Brendan Rodgers’ side if the Hoops lose at Pittodrie on Sunday against Aberdeen and the Gers beat Hearts 24 hours earlier.
Thompson thinks that Celtic’s European knockout by Zenit St. Petersburg will be a “blessing” for Brendan Rodgers’ side in the race for the title.
“He’s got to say that as he is a player,” Thompson said during BBC Sportscene Extra’s Facebook Live broadcast.
“I’m sure that within the walls of Ibrox that the players will be saying similar things and the manager will be saying similar things.
“I don’t think he should come out and say it necessarily – keep it in house maybe – but I don’t think that’s the case.
“Going out of Europe will be a blessing in disguise for Celtic, they’re going to get stronger now that the season goes on.
“I think they’ll win the league comfortably.”
The Gers have been in good attacking form in recent games with 11 goals in two games but were shaky defensively against Hamilton in last weekend’s 5-3 win over the Accies.
The Gers ran out comfortable 3-1 winners the last time the two sides met while the last Ibrox meeting ended up a 0-0 draw back in August.
Rangers’ last title success came in 2011 when Walter Smith’s side secured a last day win at Kilmarnock at Rugby Park to lift the club’s 54th Scottish title.
In other Rangers news, the club have secured an out-of-window deal for a goalkeeper.
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