Michael Stewart can't see past a Celtic win in next Saturday's derby - raising questions over whether Rangers have the 'intensity' to compete at Parkhead.
The Glasgow giants meet in the third league derby of the season with Michael Beale's team needing a victory at the home of their bitter rivals to stand any chance of reeling them in. Ange Postecoglou's side sit nine points clear again after their victory at Ross County and every point they pick up is one step closer to a second successive title with just eight games left to play.
Beale picked up a point against the Hoops last time he faced them in the Premiership but Kyogo's late equaliser at Ibrox took the wind out of their sails and Stewart reckons that was the moment the league was 'won.' And while he reckons Rangers have improved big time since Gio van Bronckhorst watched his side trounced 4-0 in their last Parkhead meeting back in September, he doesn't see them travelling home from Glasgow's east end with three points in the bag.
Stewart said on Sportscene: "That moment from Kyogo, the late equaliser, that was where the league was won. There was no danger that Celtic were going to drop nine points more than Rangers.
"Rangers are a different beast from the last game at Celtic Park. Michael Beale's come in and steadied the ship, he's making progress with them, but Celtic are the ballpark. When you compare the two, the intensity that Celtic play at is the difference.
"Rangers don't have that for me. The one criticism of Michael Beale's team is they've been getting results, but the intensity hasn't been there. When you look at the players they've got, the likes of Cantwell and Tillman aren't intense players. And when they come up against the likes of Hatate, McGregor, Mooy or whoever, those sorts of players get the upper hand when you go like-for-like.
"Look at the cup final, the first goal came down that side where Tillman was playing. Overloads, players at the back of him, those fine margins are the difference. And I just think Celtic have that margin of a difference over Rangers, particularly at home.
"Will it be a 4-0? I'd be surprised, but I'd be even more surprised if Rangers were coming away with a victory."
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