Philippe Clement faces mounting pressure to bench James Tavernier for upcoming clashes against Celtic following the Rangers captain’s lackluster performance in the recent derby. Tavernier, often exposed defensively against the relentless Daizen Maeda, struggled to contain his opponent and allowed crucial space that led to a goal in the previous match.

Criticism from Rangers legend Kris Boyd highlighted Tavernier’s sluggish reactions on the field, especially in recovering possession after losing the ball. Mark Wilson, a former Celtic defender, emphasized Tavernier’s consistent struggles in the heated rivalry games and suggested that he should be sidelined in future encounters to improve the team’s chances.

According to Wilson, the responsibility falls on the manager to make the tough decision of dropping Tavernier from the lineup, as his shortcomings in these critical fixtures have been evident time and time again.

Videos emerged showing fans booing Clement and a more aggressive incident where a fan verbally abused the Rangers squad at Ibrox. The man berated the players as “embarrassing,” singling out Tavernier. Amid the tirade, he told Tavernier to “F off,” calling him a “loser.” Security intervened, escorting Tavernier and the team away. Despite this, Tavernier engaged briefly before being separated. The fan’s anger continued as the players left the scene.