It’s hard to see who will stop Rangers now. For the first time since February 2022, the Ibrox side sit top of the Scottish Premiership at the business end of the season. Carry on winning games like this and they will plant a red, white and blue flag at the summit before the end of May.
January signings show every sign of settling the fate of the title. In an act of corporate negligence, Celtic left tens of millions burning a hole in the bank in the winter window. Operating with limited resources, Rangers showed creativity to land the likes of Mohamed Diomande on loan with an obligation to buy in the summer.
That looked a smart move when the Ivorian midfielder claimed his first goal for the club after 37 minutes of uninspired football in Perth. A controlled strike which settled the nerves no end, the Rangers fans behind both goals broke into a chorus of ‘We shall not be moved.’
Captain James Tavernier smashed two late penalties to equal his best goalscoring tally in a season of 19. Only Lawrence Shankland and Bojan Miovski have scored more goals in the league and, even allowing for the spot kicks, it’s a remarkable tally for a right-back.
Displaying level of mental strength and consistency Celtic look incapable of matching, Rangers could win the league more comfortably than expected. Beat their bitter rivals at Ibrox on April 7 and it becomes more of a when than an if.
It’s hard to see who will stop Rangers now after they went top with a win over St Johnstone
Mohamed Diomande opened the scoring on Sunday with a powerful strike after 37 minutes
There’s potential for nerves yet, of course. For a team smelling blood in the water, Rangers were curiously passive. For 37 minutes almost nothing happened. The intensity, the energy of recent games, was replaced by something more pensive altogether.