NafisaDerek McInnes has delivered a powerful message in the Scottish Premiership title race after Rangers demolished St Johnstone 4-0 at Ibrox, putting Celtic firmly back on notice.
The Rangers manager watched his team respond emphatically to last weekend’s frustrating draw against Dundee, with Kevin Kelsy leading the charge as the Light Blues moved to within just one point of their Glasgow rivals.
The result came at a crucial moment for Rangers. After dropping points in a 2-2 draw at Dundee, McInnes’ side had seen Celtic strengthen their position with a remarkable 7-1 victory over Hearts.
That result threatened to shift the momentum back towards Parkhead, but Rangers have now responded with a performance that has reignited the pressure in the title race.
With four goals scored despite torrential rain and difficult conditions at Ibrox, the message from Rangers was unmistakable: they remain determined to challenge Celtic for the Premiership crown.
McInnes’ Rangers deliver a title statement
Rangers entered the St Johnstone match needing to prove that their disappointing result against Dundee was nothing more than a temporary setback.
Before that draw, McInnes’ team had won seven consecutive matches across all competitions, including two victories over Celtic that raised hopes of a more competitive title challenge this season.
However, the failure to overcome Dundee had reopened questions about Rangers’ mentality, particularly with Celtic taking full advantage by thrashing Hearts 7-1.
McInnes responded by reshaping his attack, bringing Kevin Kelsy and Ryan Naderi together in a front two. Djeidi Gassama was the player to make way, while Min-su Kim moved out to the left flank.
The adjustment paid off as Rangers produced a convincing performance, scoring four times and moving back to within a point of Celtic.
For the Rangers boss, the victory offered an opportunity to demonstrate that his team could recover from disappointment rather than allow one poor result to derail their progress.
And with the title race becoming increasingly competitive, the timing of the response could hardly have been better.
Kevin Kelsy leads the charge as Rangers hit four
Kelsy was once again at the centre of Rangers’ attacking performance, continuing his impressive start to life at Ibrox.
The Venezuelan opened the scoring in the 29th minute after excellent combination play involving Min-su Kim and Naderi. The latter supplied the striker, who finished into an empty net to give Rangers a deserved advantage.
Rangers had threatened before the breakthrough, with Badredine Bouanani going close early on and Kim missing a promising opportunity after linking up with the Algerian winger.
Kelsy also tested St Johnstone goalkeeper Toby Steward as the hosts continued to apply pressure.
St Johnstone showed greater attacking intent after half-time, with Jamie Gullan seeing an effort deflected wide before Enes Alic forced Ivor Pandur into a save from distance.
But Rangers quickly restored control. Kim’s shot was parried into Naderi’s path, allowing the forward to tap home from close range.
Kelsy then scored his second of the afternoon, completing a brace and taking his tally to four goals in his first five appearances for Rangers.
According to the match report, that made him the first Rangers striker since Jermain Defoe in 2019 to score four times in his first five appearances for the club.
Tochi Chukwuani added a fourth goal in the 88th minute, sealing an emphatic victory that sent a clear message to the rest of the league.
Celtic’s seven-goal victory puts the pressure on
Celtic had given their supporters plenty to celebrate with their 7-1 demolition of Hearts, a result that increased the pressure on Rangers to respond immediately.
The Glasgow rivalry has been shaped by momentum swings in recent weeks, with Rangers’ back-to-back victories over Celtic appearing to signal a change before the Dundee draw complicated matters.
Celtic’s emphatic response against Hearts then threatened to put the focus back on their title credentials.
But Rangers have ensured that the gap remains narrow, moving to within one point of the league leaders after their victory over St Johnstone.
That does not guarantee anything in a title race that still has a long way to run. Nevertheless, it gives McInnes’ side renewed confidence and ensures Celtic cannot afford to assume that their rivals will fade away.
For supporters at Parkhead, the latest result is a reminder that Rangers are still capable of producing the performances required to maintain pressure at the top of the table.
Red card compounds St Johnstone’s problems
St Johnstone’s afternoon became even more difficult when Kai Fotheringham received a straight red card with around 15 minutes remaining.
Following a VAR review, his high challenge on Nico Raskin was deemed worthy of dismissal, leaving the visitors with ten men for the closing stages.
Rangers took advantage of the situation, with Chukwuani adding the fourth goal late on to complete the scoring.
Despite the torrential rain and strong winds, McInnes’ team maintained their attacking threat and secured a result that was as convincing as the scoreline suggests.
The performance also highlighted the value of having two forwards operating together, with both Kelsy and Naderi finding the net.
Rangers send Celtic a clear warning
Rangers’ 4-0 win does not decide the Premiership title, but it has delivered precisely the response McInnes needed after the disappointment at Dundee.
The manager’s side have moved back to within one point of Celtic, restored some of their lost momentum and demonstrated that they can still put their rivals under pressure.
Kelsy’s goalscoring form is another encouraging development, while the partnership between the Venezuelan and Naderi gives McInnes an attacking combination he can continue to build around.
Celtic remain ahead, but Rangers have refused to let their rivals pull away.
The message from Ibrox is clear: McInnes intends to keep the pressure on Parkhead, and his team will continue fighting for every point in a title race that is far from settled.
Nafisa
