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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Ewan Paton

The Rangers vs Hibs outcome that could've resulted in 'crisis'

It feels like Rangers are one bad result away from being in a 'crisis'.

That's the feeling that pundits Alan Hutton and Michae Stewart have following their unconvincing 1-0 win over Hibernian at the weekend.

Philippe Clement watched on as his players put in a below-par performance to claim another three points in the Scottish Premiership.

A stunner in the first half by Tom Lawrence was enough to settle the game, as the Ibrox club maintained their winning run in September.

Things could've been different though has Mykola Kukharevych scored his penalty for Hibs right on half-time, with the striker's weak effort well-saved by Jack Butland.

Hutton feels had that gone in, then things could've potentially turned inside Ibrox despite an impression 2-0 away victory in the Europa League just three days prior.

The former Gers defender told the Scottish Football Social Club: "They huffed and puffed. This was off the back of a really good performance in Malmo, probably their best of the season.

"But I just expected them to go and put their foot down. When Hibs get the penalty, and for me it was a penalty... I was worried, thinking if it's 1-1, where does this end up?


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"Hibs became the better team in the second half, Rangers struggled, and you could feel the tension build in the stadium.

"I kept on thinking it's as if they're just one step away from being in a crisis. That's the moment it felt like, going from an amazing performance to that, it was a worry."

Stewart agreed. He added: "Watching that game, after all the positivity in Sweden, had that result against Hibs not been three points, it would have been (a crisis).

"The pressure would have been intense and it would have been so much negativity thrown right back onto the team. It wasn't far away from being that.

"Hibs performed pretty well, but they didn't win, and Rangers did. That ultimately is the most important thing."

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