Sky Sports pundit Craig Beattie has said that Celtic will beat Rangers “comfortably” after the international break on March 31.
Beattie was talking on Sky Sports News (Monday, 11.20am) after the weekend results that saw Celtic move 10 points clear at the top of the Premiership.
Rangers drew with Kilmarnock at Ibrox, while Celtic left it late to win 1-0 against Dundee on Sunday.
The Old Firm clash is up next Beattie has said that it will finally decide the title.
“Celtic have been really good, come up with some late winners and I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” Beattie said. “They’ve got a strong mentality and that leads to these late results. They’re good honest players, good hard-working lads.”
Asked whether the Old Firm clash could be a title decider, he said, “Yeah, absolutely no question. For me it was alive going into the weekend, but 10 points clear with eight games to go, I think it’s all over and I think Celtic will come out comfortable winners in the Old Firm clash.”
He also delivered a bleak verdict on Rangers saying, “I think the season’s lost. I’ve been quite critical of Rangers this season but I think it’s gone and Gerrard has a lot of work to do in the summer.”
OPINION
It’s a real shame that Rangers’ title campaign has come off the rails. With Brendan Rodgers leaving Celtic there was a real hope from Rangers fans that they’d be able to take it to the wire. But a string of disappointing results has seen them crash out of the Scottish Cup – and a blockbuster clash against Celtic in the semis – and lose even more ground in the league. They were a bit unlucky at the weekend, to see Celtic score a 96th-minute winner, but they’ve been the second best team in Scotland this season. Rangers fans will be hoping to salvage some pride in the Old Firm clash, but hardly any of them will be there to see it live, and all but the most optimistic supporters will be fearing a defeat given Rangers’ current form.