Rangers Must Break Title-Race Curse to Stop Celtic's Small Factors
Rangers have tended to trail in the title race before the schools go back in recent seasons. With the new campaign underway, the Light Blues will look to get their Premiership campaign off to a flier against Dundee United.
What Happened?
Since Steven Gerrard began a championship defence with a 3-0 home win over Livingston in 2021, Gers have been forced to hit the road on day one. After Gio van Bronckhorst's men sneaked past Livi 2-1 a year later, it's been a tale of woe. Michael Beale crashed 1-0 to McInnes' Killie and was out of a job two months later. Philippe Clement drew a blank at Hearts to kick off 2024/25 and set a downbeat tone.
Why It Matters for Rangers
Greg Stewart, a member of Gerrard's Invincibles squad of 2020/21, believes this Friday's trip to Tannadice can flip the script. He said: "You want to get off to a flier, build the confidence up and get momentum. But it's never easy, especially if you've got new management and new players."
What Comes Next?
Stewart is desperate for continuity in the Ibrox camp following the underwhelming eight-month Danny Rohl reign. Previously, Martin was in charge for just 17 matches. Stewart, 36, loved working for McInnes at Kilmarnock and reckons Rangers have finally found a man perfect for the pressures of the Ibrox post.
The Verdict
Rangers have a rotten opening-day record, but Stewart is confident that McInnes will fire up the team to remedy it. He said: "Derek's experience of the league will benefit Rangers going into the kick off. Friday night is a great game for Rangers and a mouth-watering tie for Derek. It will suit him and his team to a tee."
Rangers are currently 1 point behind leaders Heart Of Midlothian in the title race, with 66 goals scored and 31 conceded this season. They are on a 2-game winning run, with their last result being a 2-5 win over Falkirk on 2026-05-16. Their next fixture is against Heart Of Midlothian away on 2026-10-28.
