Sutton Reveals What Surprises Him About Rangers: Can Ibrox Turn One Big Win Into A Title Push?

Sutton Reveals What Surprises Him About Rangers: Can Ibrox Turn One Big Win Into A Title Push? Rangers head into Sunday’s Premiership Old Firm derby at Celtic Park with four straight wins behind Derek McInnes. Their latest success came against Celtic, as Dan Neil scored twice and Kevin Kelsy added another goal in a 3-0 League Cup victory at Ibrox. The result sent Rangers into the semi-finals and gave McInnes a boost before the league rematch. Chris Sutton, writing in his weekly Daily Record column , described Celtic ’s performance as “atrocious” and said Rangers overwhelmed the midfield. Yet he stopped short of calling McInnes’ side a top-class team. “The odd thing is, I don’t think Derek’s team are wonderful,” Sutton wrote. He then added that Rangers were “way too powerful, too smart and too good” for Martin O’Neill’s side. The Rangers boss now takes his side to Parkhead with a chance to cut Celtic’s five-point league advantage. A win would reduce the gap to two points, while defeat would leave Rangers eight points behind before October. Can Rangers turn one big win into a title push? GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 13: Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic keeps Emmanuel Fernandez of Rangers and Haissem Hassan of Celtic apart during the Rangers v Celtic – Premier Sports Cup match at Ibrox Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images) Sutton’s point deserves attention because Rangers have shown two very different faces this season. McInnes has improved the domestic side, yet the five-match winning run cannot erase the earlier European failures. Rangers exited both Europa League and Conference League qualifying, exposing limits that a strong spell against Scottish opposition cannot simply remove. The 3-0 win showed what McInnes can get from this group. Dan Neil’s two goals came from midfield, while Kelsy gave the attack a focal point. Rangers pressed with intent, played forward quickly and repeatedly forced Celtic away from their preferred rhythm. That performance offered a clear tactical route. Still, the squad has deeper problems. Rangers lack enough depth for a long title chase, particularly if injuries hit key positions. Their technical level can look less convincing when opponents defend transitions well and refuse to engage in a physical battle. The boardroom issues mentioned by Sutton matter too, because recruitment and squad planning shape what McInnes can actually work with. That makes Sunday more than another derby. Rangers can prove their recent surge has substance by winning again at Parkhead, but one result cannot repair every structural weakness. Celtic remain five points ahead, and an eight-point gap would place serious pressure on McInnes. A two-point gap, however, would change the conversation quickly. Rangers have found a winning formula; now they need to show it survives beyond one outstanding afternoon.