Chris Sutton has rejected talk that the Premiership title would be wrapped up if Celtic win at Ibrox in the first derby of the season.
The ex-Celtic striker says it is far too soon in the season for that kind of discussion.
Celtic go into the match with a perfect record from their opening league games, while Rangers are still without a league win under Russell Martin. That early gap has sparked claims that a Celtic victory on Sunday could decide the title race before it really starts.
Sutton insists that idea is nonsense, pointing out there are still more than 30 fixtures to come. Instead, he feels the real story is the pressure mounting on Martin, who badly needs a result to ease the heat.
He also reminded fans that even when Rangers struggled in the past, supporters often took comfort from results against Celtic, a factor Martin must keep in mind this weekend.
He said: (The Warm-Up), “There’s talk of Celtic beating Rangers and people asking, is that the league over?
“I don’t see that as being the case. That’s absolutely ridiculous, there are 34 more games to go regardless of the result.
“But I do think, maybe I’ve misjudged Russell Martin and the feeling towards him, because it’s really pivotal for him to get some sort of result.
“Even last season when things got desperate at Rangers, some fans clung to the fact that at least they got the better of Celtic.”
Brendan Rodgers knows a win would stretch the Hoops’ early lead, but Sutton says the title will not be settled this weekend.
For Rangers, the game already feels crucial. A loss at Ibrox would pile more pressure on Martin, who is under fire after a poor league start and a heavy Champions League defeat to Club Brugge.
Supporters have already voiced their anger, with protests and banners calling for change. Failure to get a result on Sunday would only increase the spotlight on the board and the manager.
Sutton believes the outcome is more about Rangers’ immediate situation than the overall title fight. He sees Celtic as favourites but insists the league race will still be alive no matter the result at Ibrox.
