Chris Sutton has fired an early warning at Rangers after Celtic were held to a 2-2 draw by Hearts at Tynecastle.
Celtic went into the match knowing that three points would keep them above Rangers and cut Hearts’ lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to just three points. For a long spell, that outcome looked on the cards.
The Bhoys were leading 2-1 late on, but the game swung with 13 minutes remaining when defender Auston Trusty was sent off. Hearts took advantage of their numerical edge, grabbed an equaliser and ensured the points were shared. The result allowed Rangers to move above Celtic in the table, dropping Martin O’Neill’s side into third in the title race.
Despite that shift, Sutton was far from concerned. Instead, the former Celtic striker aimed a familiar jab in the direction of Ibrox.
Speaking on BBC 606, Sutton suggested Rangers supporters should be cautious about getting carried away. He acknowledged their win over Dundee but hinted that history often catches up with them when the pressure increases.
Rangers fans may be feeling optimistic, Sutton said, but he believes there is a pattern of faltering when they have the chance to move clear of Celtic. He doubled down on the point, insisting that recent history shows a tendency to stumble at key moments.
The comments prompted a stunned reaction from fellow pundit Robbie Savage as Sutton stuck firmly to his view.
Last season underlined Celtic’s ability to finish strongly. Brendan Rodgers’ side powered to a fourth consecutive league title, eventually ending the campaign 17 points clear of Rangers.
Celtic finished on 92 points, with Rangers trailing on 75 and Hibernian a distant third on 58. While matching that total is no longer possible this time around, the Hoops remain very much in contention with plenty of matches still to play.
And if Sutton is to be believed, there is also plenty of time left for Rangers to feel the pressure.