5 Celtic sprinters hung Rangers out to dry as Michael Beale must address urgent Ibrox need for speed

Managers will often claim that the title race is a marathon and not a sprint.

It usually comes after an early defeat that has punters panicking but it’s not actually true. Campaigns can be a slog like a marathon – but there are times when you need to sprint. Rangers could have done with some more Usain Bolts rather than more Mo Farahs. The Old Firm defeat at Celtic Park showed why the Light Blues can’t keep up the pace with Celtic – because of their own lack of pace.

Early on, a jittery Hoops side gave the ball away a few times and on one occasion it should have caused carnage. Cameron Carter-Vickers was well short with a pass back to Joe Hart and the keeper was never getting there. Alfredo Morelos was favourite. At least he would have been if not for the caravan hooked to his back. Instead, Carl Starfelt sped across to mop up.

John Souttar did the same and it left poor Allan McGregor facing a foot race. Some claimed the Gers keeper was like pandemic hero Captain Tom on his 99th length of his garden, but it wasn’t his fault he’s 41 and been dealt a hospital job.

The contrast was stark with Jota. He had double the ground to cover on Souttar and McGregor and gobbled it up in half the time. Parkhead pals Kyogo, Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada are rapid too while Oh Hyeon-gyu has a deceptive burst.

But Rangers? It’s all too one-paced. Which is why Michael Beale and Ross Wilson need to get a shift on this summer. Morelos is destined to tow his caravan to the Middle East or the MLS in a few months.

Ryan Kent thought he’d be hitting the road to the Premier League but that’s now unlikely due to his numbers and lack of explosive pace. Malik Tillman, Todd Cantwell and returning Ianis Hagi can beat a man but they don’t leave scorched