Philippe Clement's Rangers mood swings in step with 'bang average' Celtic title race - Hugh Keevins

The brutal truth of the matter, as exemplified and underlined by Rangers’ recent collapse in form, is that the Premiership title is being contested by two bang average Old Firm teams.

But mundanity doesn’t minimise the bragging rights and the league winners will not be subjected to unfavourable comparisons with past, and superior, sides who have worn the same shirt. You wouldn’t hear any debate on the matter for the sound of hysterical celebrations in the background in any case. Quality comes a long way behind one-upmanship in today’s world.

A state of mind that will be audible and visible at Hampden today. There are no “moral winners” in Scottish Cup semi-finals. No draws and no second chances. You are either in or out of the competition. No laps of honour, only the walk of shame if you perish at the penultimate stage. If Rangers beat Hearts they get them to keep. Four meetings in the league and the Viaplay Cup with the Tynecastle side have resulted in quadruple wins for Philippe Clement’s side.

It would be difficult to make a cogent case for Steven Naismith’s team rewriting the past when the weight of history against them is so oppressive. Except for one thing.

If what happened to Clement’s side against Ross County in Dingwall last Sunday offered conclusive proof of anything, it was of football’s capacity for allowing the unpredictable to lead to the unexpected. There was no feasible reason why the second- bottom team in the league should have overcome the one in second-top place after gifting them a goal of a start. But they did.

The game in the Highlands, incidentally, fell on the 112th anniversary of the Titanic hitting the iceberg and sinking with all hands
on deck. A grisly omen for Rangers’ championship