PHILIPPE CLEMENT is only 90 minutes away from becoming the sixth Rangers boss to experience defeat while pitting his wits against Brendan Rodgers.
The Belgian, 49, was named as Michael Beale’s successor in mid-October to become the Ibrox club’s FOURTH manager in two years.
Clement, who was sacked by AS Monaco in June after only 18 months in the post, follows Steven Gerrard, Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Beale in quickfire fashion.
HELLO AND GOODBYE…Brendan Rodgers with Pedro Caixinho, Ibrox manager No.2 to face the Irishman.
The former international centre-back now comes face to face with Rodgers who has been confronted by Mark Warburton, Pedro Caixinho, Gerrard and Beale plus Graeme Murty in a caretaker role in his 14 previous encounters.
All five previous incumbents in the Govan hot seat suffered defeat against the Irishman with Beale the last to be vanquished on September 3 when Kyogo Furuhashi netted the game’s only goal with a whiplash right-foot drive just before the interval.
Now Clement faces the Rodgers juggernaut in the east end of Glasgow in a confrontation that could see the champions ease into an eight-point advantage at the Premiership pinnacle.
And leave another Ibrox boss suffering that familiar sinking feeling with Rodgers as a direct opponent.
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Rangers this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.