Celtic manager Neil Lennon has recognised the legitimacy of the Rangers title challenge, as quoted by the Daily Record.
The Hoops comfortably defeated Livingston at Parkhead on Saturday afternoon, in a win that took them three points clear of the Gers ahead of their trip to Hamilton.
A third of the way through the season and with Steven Gerrard’s team very much within touching distance, the ex-Northern Ireland international says a real battle is in the offing.
“Does it feel like a proper title race? At the minute, no question, yes,” said Lennon, as quoted by the Daily Record. “Psychologically, that’s a good win for us. We can enjoy our Sunday, we get 24 hours before seeing what Rangers’ result brings before we move on to the next one.”
“You’ve got to either relish this pressure or fear it. So let’s relish it. It’s great. Maybe it’s something new for some of the players but they’re taking on the challenge – and I think the fans are enjoying it too.
“There will be anxious moments as we go along, with dips and troughs. But we’re in a strong position and playing brilliantly.”
Verdict
Lennon has recognised something here that has been apparent to fans on both sides for some time.
After personnel improvements in the summer and with the coaching staff now more experienced, this Rangers group is up for a fight.
We’re heading into a crunch time of the season, where the Gers’ fixtures look much tougher than those of their biggest rivals, but if Gerrard and co. can continue to churn out results, it will pile the sort of pressure on Celtic that they haven’t been under in years.
It’s all well and good Lennon instructing his players to relish that pressure, but if Rangers continue to apply it, it’ll be interesting to see how long it takes for cracks to emerge.
