Alan Hutton reckons Rangers' eggs are all in the Scottish Cup basket this season.
Michael Beale suffered his first defeat since taking over at Ibrox from Giovanni van Bronckhorst in Sunday's League Cup Final to Celtic. Kyogo Furuhashi was the Hampden hero with a double as Ange Postecoglou's men kept their grip on the trophy and landed the first piece of silverware up for grabs this term.
Nine points stand between the Old Firm rivals in the Scottish Premiership table with Hutton admitting it will be 'very difficult' to claw that gap back with just 12 games to play. Rangers and Celtic play twice more but the Hoops have tasted just one league defeat so far this season in their relentless charge towards back to back title triumphs.
With that in mind, the former Ibrox star and pundit reckons the Scottish Cup is 'massive' for Beale and Co this term. They lifted the famous old trophy last season and after losing out in the Viaplay Cup Final - that tournament has added significance this term.
He told Football Insider: “I think all the eggs are in the one basket now if you really look at it.
“The league as it sits at the moment, it is going to be very difficult to claw that back. So the Scottish cup is massive for Rangers at the moment.
“They have got the easier tie at home to Raith Rovers, Celtic have got a difficult one away to Hearts. So there is an opportunity there for Beale to get silverware in his first stint back at Rangers.
“Unfortunate about the League Cup but I think the Scottish Cup is even more important now.“
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