RANGERS reduced Celtic’s lead at the top of the cinch Premiership to two points once again today when they beat Motherwell 2-0 at Fir Park thanks to first half goals from Kieran Dowell and Todd Cantwell.
With their city rivals getting back to winning ways after back-to-back league defeats against Livingston at Parkhead yesterday, the pressure was firmly on Philippe Clement’s side before kick-off.
But the Ibrox club, who still have a game in hand to play, started strongly despite the players they were missing and were two ahead inside 16 minutes.
So how did Clement extend his unbeaten run as manager to 16 games? Were Stuart Kettlewell’s men deservedly beaten. Here are five talking points from the Christmas Eve encounter.
DOWELL DYNAMISM
With a place in the last 16 of the Europa League having been secured, the Viaplay Cup safely in the trophy cabinet at Ibrox and intense pressure being applied to Celtic at the top of the Premiership, Rangers are in a good place six days away from the second Old Firm match of the season at Parkhead.
But the make-up of their midfield remains a major concern for their manager and supporters with John Lundstram having joined Jose Cifuentes, Ryan Jack and Nicolas Raskin on the injury list in midweek.
How would Dowell and Dujon Sterling fare together in the middle of the park at a wet and windy Fir Park? The former had started his first match in four months on Wednesday night. The latter, meanwhile, is a full-back. It was hardly Clement’s first choice central midfield partnership. Not by a distance.
But Dowell did superbly to dispossess Harrry Paton on the edge of the Motherwell penalty box in the fourth minute, play a one-two with Cyriel Dessers and rifle the ball beyond Liam Kelly and into the roof of the net.
He will not be overawed if he starts in the Glasgow derby on this evidence.
CANTWELL CONFIDENCE BOOSTER
The playmaker did not have to work particularly hard for his goal. Abdallah Sima chested a Ridvan Yilmaz cross to his feet in a dangerous position and he had time and space he needed to steady himself and pick his spot. Still, the strike will do his self-belief wonders.
It was only the second time in the 2023/24 campaign he had been on target and it was the first occasion he had netted domestically. The fans’ favourite was allowed to miss the match against Real Betis in Spain earlier this month due to a personal matter. So perhaps issues away from football are affecting him. But he has not been his usual effervescent self of late.
Wrapping up the three points will lift his confidence levels going into a crucial spell.
THREADBARE RANGERS
That Clement has serious injury problems to contend with at the moment was obvious from looking at the Rangers bench today – Adam Devine, Johnly Yfeko and Bailey Rice were all listed among the replacements.
John Souttar, Sam Lammers, Rabbi Matondo, Scott Wright and Leon King all have extensive first team experience and can slot in effectively in defence, midfield and attack if required. Souttar, Lammers, Matondo and Wright all got on the park this afternoon. But where were Borna Barisic and Ben Davies?
He has no specialist centre forwards at his disposal. Dessers did well to tee up Dowell for his goal early on and worked hard thereafter. He had two late efforts disallowed following VAR checks. But in normal circumstances, Clement would have freshened things up in the final third.
The Belgian had voiced his displeasure at the number of dangerous challenges which his players have been subjected to since he arrived in Scotland after Lundstram suffered a serious ankle injury against St Johnstone this week. But his words have clearly fallen on deaf ears.
Cantwell, Dessers, Yilmaz and Sima were all victims of some rough treatment from their Motherwell counterparts. Sima was taken off the field shortly after he was clattered. There was nothing which merited a red card. But the unfortunate approach spoiled the match as a spectacle.
STEELMEN LACK STEEL
Motherwell may only have lost once in their previous five outings going into this encounter with the form team in the country. And that run might have included a draw against Celtic at Parkhead. But the hosts’ last league triumph came way back at the start of September. And they had not beaten their opponents at home in 22 years.
So the outcome of this festive fixture was no great surprise. Still, Kelly and his team mates showed why they are in second bottom spot in the table during the course of the 90 minutes.
They failed to test Jack Butland all afternoon and had their skipper, who produced instinctive saves from Dessers, Ross McCausland and Cantwell, to thank for the scoreline remaining respectable.
They fared far better in the second half after Paul McGinn had replaced Bevis Mugabi at the back. But Kettlewell will have to strengthen his squad next month if the Fir Park club are to climb the table and survive in the top flight. If there are any repeats of this defensive display before the winter break he will not be the man making the signings.
PENALTY CALL
The number of conspiracy theorists in the Scottish game has grown this season as Rangers’ run in the Premiership without conceding a penalty has continued. But referee David Dickinson was correct to ignore Motherwell appeals for a spot kick after Brodie Spencer went to ground after making contact with Yilmaz. If anything, the wing back fouled the left back.
