Celtic legend Chris Sutton has highlighted the resurgence of Cyriel Dessers as proof of the superb job Philippe Clement has done at Scottish Premiership title rivals Rangers.
His midweek brace against Ross County might not have been enough to lift Rangers above Celtic at the summit of Scottish football – they remain second on goal difference – but a two-goal display felt like another massive step in the right direction for Cryriel Dessers.
A striker who, during the dying embers of the Mick Beale era, felt like a busted flush. A Filip Sebo for the modern era, as he was not-unjustifiably labelled by some in the late-summer.
The £4.5 million summer signing from Cremonese has come on leaps and bounds since those traumatic early months, that Ross County brace taking his tally to eight goals since mid-December and seeing him break into double-figures in the top-flight.
Cyriel Dessers a man transformed at Rangers
“There’s no question Rangers are making progress under Clement,” Sutton tells the Daily Record, concerned that the revolution in blue coupled with an unconvincing Celtic side could see the title head back to Ibrox.
“The mood around Ibrox is in total contrast to the freak show that was created by Michael Beale of all talk and no trousers. Clement is a straight-shooter and he’s been impressive in the way he’s shaped this current Rangers team into getting results.
“I’ll be honest, I’m still not convinced it’s much more than an average Rangers side, but he’s getting a tune out of them. At the start of the season, stalwarts such as James Tavernier were being panned and the new signings called out as not being good enough.
“Clement has got the senior players doing the business and bringing something out in boys that were tagged as not up to it,” Sutton adds. “Cyriel Dessers is case in point. The Nigerian was being hounded as an out-and-out dud in the first weeks of the season. Now he’s scoring goals regularly.
“Important goals, into the bargain.”
Philippe Clement’s team are in the title race
Dessers scored an ‘incredible’ winner at St Mirren in January and also netted one of the finest solo efforts of any Rangers player in recent memory against Real Betis in the Europa League.
A goal which set Clement’s side on their way to the knockout stages.
