Celtic may have dropped points in the recent 3-2 defeat against Rangers, but Brendan Rodgers’ side remain firmly in control of the SPFL title race, sitting thirteen points clear at the summit with just eight games to go.
Despite the slip-up at Celtic Park, the Hoops are on course to secure a fourth successive league title, having dominated the campaign from the off.
That hasn’t stopped former Rangers defender Craig Moore from downplaying the gap between the two sides. Speaking on Go Radio, Moore suggested that the difference isn’t as vast as it appears. “Rangers have been really, really poor in everyone’s eyes,” Moore admitted, before arguing: “I don’t think the gap is as big as people think… You bring three or four new players that make a real difference, the gap isn’t that big, trust me.”
It’s a familiar refrain. Every season, the conversation turns to how close Rangers are to matching Celtic, often forgetting the evidence on the pitch and the consistency shown by the champions.
While Moore points to the win at Parkhead as proof of parity, the broader picture tells a different story. Celtic have put together a relentless run, brushing aside teams Rangers struggle to breakdown and get the results when they’re expected to get them.
This narrative of Rangers being ‘just a few signings away’ from closing the gap has grown tired. It imagines a world where Celtic stand still — failing to recruit, failing to progress, and somehow allowing their rivals to catch up unchallenged. That’s not how it works at the top end of football. Rodgers has overseen a squad brimming with talent and depth, with players like Daizen Maeda, Nicolas Kuhn, and Callum McGregor consistently delivering.
Celtic’s strength lies not just in individual talent but in their system and mentality. They’ve proven time and again they can handle the pressure of title races. Rangers, in contrast, tend to come alive only after the meaningful battles are already lost.
The notion that they would suddenly overhaul Celtic’s dominance through a summer shopping spree ignores years of evidence to the contrary. While there’s a conversation to be had about how Celtic approach the Glasgow Derby, there’s no question they are superior and will again look to build in the summer.
The league table doesn’t lie. Thirteen points clear, and still in the hunt for a treble — Celtic remain the benchmark.
