GORDON STRACHAN believes Steven Gerrard’s side’s 4-2 win over Aberdeen will have set alarm bells ringing at Celtic.
While the champions were easing to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hibs in Glasgow, the Ibrox side were involved in an explosive encounter at Pittodrie at the same time.
Controversial Colombian Alfred Morelos saw red for the FOURTH time after an incident with Dons defender Scott McKenna which was not too dissimilar to the flashpoint moment at Ibrox before the turn of the year when he clearly stamped on the prone Hoops defender Anthony Ralston.
However, whereas the match official that day, John Beaton, and his three assistants saw nothing wrong with the wayward and dangerous action, last night’s referee Bobby Madden immediately banished Morelos only moments after he had dismissed the home side’s central defender for his part in the unseemly bust-up.
However, when the smoke of battle cleared, Gerrard’s men were travelling back to Govan with three points which keeps them six behind the champions who are looking for their eighth successive Premiership title.
Ex-Hoops gaffer Strachan insists the win over the Dons will not have gone unnoticed in the east end of Glasgow, but still tips Brendan Rodgers’ men to pick up the crown at the end of the campaign.
The former Scotland international manager said: “Do I think Rangers can win it? Probably not.
“I just think that at this moment in time, Celtic have enough in their locker to get through.
“I think the win for Rangers over Celtic was very useful, though, because it made the backers realise that they were not that far away from them.
“But I think they will push Celtic and this could go down to the last couple of games of the season. Success would be to take them to the last two or three games.
“The Aberdeen result is huge for Rangers, it will give them a spring in their step. If you’re Celtic, you’re thinking: ‘If we beat Hibs tonight that’s good’.
“But for Rangers to win, that sets the alarm bells ringing.”
* Strachan was speaking to Sky Sports’ The Debate.
