CELTIC can go NINE points ahead of Russell Martin’s strugglers if they win the derby at Ibrox a week today.
The champions went to the top of the Premiership with the 3-0 win over Livingston yesterday for their third successive victory to put them on nine points, two ahead of Hearts who drew 3-3 with Motherwell.
The Ibrox side were hoping to get their first league win at the third attempt, but they had to settle for their third consecutive 1-1 draw after their latest stalemate against St Mirren in Paisley today.
Once again, new gaffer Martin’s men were booed and jeered off the pitch by irate fans after another failure.
PICK IT OUT…Jonah Ayunga fires past Jack Butland for St Mirren’s goal in the 1-1 draw.
Jonah Ayunga fired the hosts into the lead in the 32nd minute when he raced onto a through pass from Mikael Mandrin, shrugged off John Souttar and then rifled a low shot wide of the exposed Jack Butland.
The visitors grabbed their equaliser in the 77th minute and they enjoyed a massive slice of good fortune when substitute Findlay Curtis’ 20-yard drive took a deflection off a defender to leave Shamal George helpless.
The keeper was diving to his right and looked as though he was about to deal with the danger.
Now Brendan Rodgers’ champions have the opportunity to open up a nine-point advantage over their Glasgow rivals after just four games next weekend as dark clouds gather over Govan.
