Former Celtic defender Johan Mjallby has warned his former club that Rangers are genuine title contenders this season.
The big Swedish stopper played for Celtic for six years between 1998 and 2004 and battled with Rangers for domestic glory the entire time.
Now, the big defender believes that Rangers are a “proper challenger” to Celtic’s domestic crown and also expressed surprise at how “comfortably” Celtic won the last Old Firm.
“A lot of people think Rangers will go all the way this time and for me, it’s the first time in years they are a proper challenger to Celtic,” said Mjallby, as quoted by the Daily Record.
“Steven Gerrard has a season under his belt so he knows the club and the players and he brought in a few more and they look a bit more solid.
“People thought Rangers would challenge as soon as they were back in the top league but if you know the game you knew it would take them time to get it right financially and recruitment-wise.
“But this season they should be a proper challenger – or they’ll be disappointed. I was surprised in a way at how comfortably Celtic won the Old Firm game.
“I thought Rangers would be a bit more aggressive with their pressing as they were successful twice at Ibrox last season.”
Are Celtic fans also beginning to realise the threat of Rangers?
The comments of Mjallby back up the sounds from some Celtic fans too. Rangers are a genuine contender and they’re showing it through their form.
On the Bhoys v Bluenoses podcast [episode 12 approx. 32 mins], Celtic fans talked up the job being done by Gerrard.
“Gerrard has improved them,” said David Walton, who writes for 67 Hail Hail.
“Whenever Rangers play anyone else outside the rest in the division [outside Celtic] I expect them to win.
“I didn’t when they had Pedro Caixinha as manager, I certainly didn’t when they had Mark Warburton as manager either.
“They play a better brand of football, he’s brought in better players. They’ve got plenty of attacking threats.
“I think when we beat them 2-0 at Ibrox people went over the top with how big the gap really is.
“Rangers are showing title-challenging form at the minute. I’d like to see their start just now compared to the Walter Smith days, and I’m sure they’ve started similarly, so it’ll be a close slog I think.”
Considering how insistent many in Scottish football were that Rangers couldn’t challenge for the title, have supporters, pundits and Celtic themselves finally woke up to the challenge of Rangers?
