Rangers and Man Utd stood as mentality monsters in unison now 4 striking parallels underline their frightening falls

When it comes to finance one of them is in a different stratosphere to the other. But in football terms? The similarities are really quite striking.

Manchester United and Rangers. It wasn’t so long ago these two were regarded as the biggest clubs in Britain. Top of the tree north and south of the border. The quintessential champions. That was 30 years ago, though. Now, it’s a different story for both of them. Yet you can’t help but feel this pair are like two of the game’s most kindred spirits.

Let’s be honest, compared to what they used to be, they’re a shadow of their former selves. United’s last Premier League title was back in 2013. While at Rangers, their solitary success under Steven Gerrard in 2021 has proved to be a flash in the pan. Opposition teams used to be scared of going to Old Trafford and Ibrox. But the fear factor is gone.

Previously, they were both renowned for being mentality monsters. Now? They’re more like gentle giants.

It was evident on Sunday after watching them in action. In fact, it was probably Lisandro Martinez’s interview following their 2-2 draw at Anfield against Liverpool that really brought it home.

When asked how his team could perform so well on Merseyside against England’s top dogs - yet six days before they’d been humiliated by Newcastle on their own ground - the Argentine defender put his finger to his head. “The mind,” he said. Quite rightly, Martinez was suggesting that United’s players just don’t have the mental fortitude to compete for a title.

Ability-wise, it’s in there. And in a one-off 90 minutes, as they’ve proved against Liverpool and Manchester City in the FA Cup over the last year, they can bring it to the party. But when it comes to showing the kind of resilience and