In the last ten years, Rangers Football Club of Scotland have sort to lay jubilating fingers on the Scottish Premiership trophy but this never came to pass. The fans, players, coaching staff and the management of the club heaved a huge sigh of relief today as Celtic drew 0-0 at Dundee United this afternoon to hand them an unassailable 20-point lead on the league.
This means no other team can equal same points haul till the end of the season even if they win all their matches and Rangers lose all of theirs.
Rangers won 3-0 at St. Miren yesterday to remain unbeaten for the 2020/2021 season amassing a whopping 88 points in 32 league matches with 68 goal difference. The closest rival, Celtic, have 68 points from 32 matches with 42 goal difference.
With this win, Rangers have lifted the Scottish trophy 55 times and the highest in the history of the Scottish Premier League. They are followed by Linfield who have won 54 SPL trophies. Celtic has won the title 51 times to keep the rivalry with Rangers very close.
The win is another new for Rangers Coach, Steven Gerrard, who waited all his playing career at English Premiership side, Liverpool, without winning the domestic league title. He arrived Rangers three years ago and was the only coach to have survived the second year within these 10 years that Rangers looked for the trophy.
Two Nigerian exports were equally very instrumental to this success as Gerrard anchored his team around a solid defence that breaks play and initiates attack simultaneously. This defence wall has Super Eagles’ Leon Balogun as one of its commandants. Super Eagles striker, Joe Aribo, joins to form the indefatigable striking trio of the lethal Rangers attack.
Former Rangers striker, Kris Boyd, mentioned the duo of Balogun and Aribo among the 5 top key players that brought the historic feat. Responding to Sky Sports, Boyd said “It’s a difficult one because so many players have played a big part in what Rangers have achieved this season… The likes of Filip Helander and Leon Balogun have not looked out of place. Scott Arfield had a fantastic October and November. He was the one who was making the difference then… Joe Aribo has had spells where he’s made a difference. Alfredo Morelos is now finishing the season strong and Glen Kamara has had an excellent period as well…”
With this jinx-breaking feat, is Steven Gerrard may be on his way back to Anfield? Speculations are not unconnected with the many disappointments by defending champions Liverpool this season. The football world is watching.
Azuka Edokobi is a Writer , a Farmer, a Supply Chain Expert and an Entrepreneur