Ex-Rangers defender Alan Hutton has shut down claims from former Celtic captain Scott Brown that the gap between the Old Firm is still “quite big”.
Ex-Gers right-back Hutts also claims that Rangers can close the gap with their eternal rivals by signing a ruthless finisher in the mould of Japanese forward Kyogo Furuhashi.
Former Parkhead captain Brown – who had a brief stint in charge of English League One Fleetwood Town – has taken to trolling Rangers fans recently in an attempt to stay relevant.
But as he waits for a lower league side to take a punt on him, Alan Hutton was speaking a tad more sensibly ahead of what promises to be a tight title race.
Rangers are within two points of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership with all eyes on the January transfer window ahead of the second half of the campaign.
The Ibrox side have also qualified for the Last 16 of the Europa League and lifted the League Cup trophy for the first time in 13 years by beating Aberdeen.
Scott Brown talks Celtic gap
Nonetheless, Scott Brown believes that Celtic’s controversial Old Firm victory before the winter break is evidence of a seemingly gargantuan gap between the sides.
“As you’ve seen, the gap when they played just the other day there, it was quite big,” said Brown.
The former Parkhead skipper also believes Celtic “put on a show” against Rangers at Parkhead and heaped praise on the club’s front three.
In a wonderful self-own, the former Celtic captain then went on to spin the Parkhead side’s lack of European football after the break into a positive.
“The club are probably going to go a lot of Saturday to Saturday not having the European football,” said Brown. “You get a lot more rest time.”
Boasting an utterly pathetic and almost nonexistent record in European knockout competition as Celtic captain, Scott Brown would know all about that.
Alan Hutton in Rangers riposte
Conversely, the substantially more sensible Alan Hutton has claimed that the gap between Scotland’s top two isn’t “as big as it’s been in previous seasons”.
Pointing to Rangers closing the gap with Celtic, the former Rangers right-back also agrees with Scott Brown that Celtic’s stronger attack is the difference between the sides.
But in a more realistic summation of the current lay of the land in Scottish football, Hutton reckons if the Ibrox side can add more quality up top this winter then it’s game on in 2024.
“I think that’s the difference between the two teams at this moment in time,” said Hutton.
“You see the likes of Kyogo [Furuhashi], he’s a big-time player. He gets those opportunities and he put them in the back of the net more than not.
“If Rangers can get someone in who can do that, then I think they’ll be in a good place.”
Rangers have been linked to a host of forward options in the January window but most recently head-turning links to Fenerbahce striker Michy Bathshuayi have raised heartbeats.
The Gers have also been consistently linked with a move for Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland, who remains a favourite to fill the club’s striking void.
As for Brown’s goading, it’s another few lines to bookmark for Rangers fans who’ll be hoping Philippe Clement has the last laugh come May.
