Steven Gerrard has been around football long enough to know that Sunday’s defeat to Hearts wasn’t a knockout blow to Rangers title chances but it certainly winded his side’s hopes of keeping the pressure up on Celtic.
The game at Tynecastle was Rangers 41st of the season and – so far – they have only lost on four occasions, against Young Boys in the Europa League, against Celtic twice (league cup final and first Old Firm league game in September) and against Hearts at the weekend.
Although this is far from being cause for crisis talks there is a recurring theme, on each occasion, Rangers have been victims of their own downfall.
Against Young Boys it was James Tavernier who came under the harshest of criticism for defensive lapses, Connor Goldson was on the receiving end after a wayward pass against Celtic at Ibrox proved to be costly, as a collective in the league cup final Christopher Jullien was left unmarked to volley home (yes there were three players in green and white offside) and on Sunday with Rangers 1-0 in front Glen Kamara inexplicably failed to play an easy pass down the line, lost possession and Hearts equalised.
These aren’t systemic or tactical errors, they are lapses in concentration that have been punished in the most brutal fashion but again perspective is required.
In 21 league games Rangers have scored 55 times and conceded just 13, drawn twice and lost twice, last January when they lost 2-1 at Rugby Park against Kilmarnock they had 42 points and a goal difference of 26. This season the Light Blues are – having played a game less – 11 points better off and have improved their goal difference by an extra 16 goals.
The problem is – as it always is – Celtic. They are 13 points better off than they were this time last season, but they now face a difficult run of fixtures which includes four of their next five games away from home whereas Rangers next three games are all at Ibrox.
Do you still back Rangers to win the league title this season?
Yes
No
The Ibrox side still has a game in hand against St Johnstone – at home – to be played, possibly in March, there will still be plenty of twists and turns to come in the title race yet and now is not the time for panic with Alfredo Morelos and James Tavernier both returning to first-team action, if, as proven by their form so far this season, individual mistakes can be minimised, a repeat of Helicopter Sunday remains a very distinct possibility.