Rangers Fans Feel a Shift in Glasgow’s Power Dynamics
Rangers fans sense a shift in Glasgow’s balance of power after their side beat Celtic for the second time in a week to close the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership to just two points.
The mood among supporters is no longer hopeful. It’s defiant.
“The beginning for Rangers – the beginning of the end for Celtic”
For Derek, this double over Celtic feels like a turning point.
"It's the beginning for Rangers and the beginning of the end for Celtic," he says, convinced that something more than three points is in play. He sees a side growing into itself, blending work rate and physicality with a clear identity.
"It is a Rangers I can identify with," he adds, picking out the traits fans have long demanded: directness, power, relentless running and a visible togetherness.
Up front, Ryan Naderi has become the symbol of that new edge. Derek calls him “superb” and says he embodies the manager’s message. At the back, Olwethu Makhanya is already being talked about as a standout piece of business – “an incredible signing and unflappable.”
“Could have been a cricket score”
Louise arrived wondering if lightning really could strike twice after last weekend’s win. Ninety minutes later, she had her answer.
"What a performance again from Rangers," she says. For her, the spine of the display was clear: Makhanya and Naderi “both excellent”, Dan Neil “controlled the midfield” and Dujon Sterling delivered “probably his best performance in a Rangers shirt”.
The only frustration? Ruthlessness.
"If we had taken our chances and had a bit more quality in the final third it could have been a cricket score," she insists. One goal, though, was enough – and enough, in her words, "to silence Parkhead."
What strikes her most is how quickly this team seems to have matured.
"This team have grown up very quickly and have now shown what they are capable of," she says, hoping this is only the start. Derek McInnes, in her eyes, has “made his mark as Rangers manager now” and must be allowed to build, regardless of what twists the season still holds.
Midfield masters and tactical questions
Sally has watched the evolution in the middle of the park with interest. Last week, she saw Dan Neil run the show. This time, she felt it was Nico Raskin’s turn to dictate.
"Last week it was Dan Neil running the midfield, this week it was Nico Raskin," she says, underlining the growing depth of influence in that area.
Naderi again earns glowing praise – “outstanding upfront” – while Djeidi Gassama, she feels, deserved more from his big moment, calling him “so unlucky” with his shot on goal.
Her biggest surprise came on the touchline. She expected McInnes to tweak things. He didn’t. Celtic, she notes, also seemed not to have learned from the previous week’s defeat. The same plan, the same problems, the same result.
Makhanya wins over the doubters
Chris admits he wasn’t convinced by Makhanya when the defender first arrived. That uncertainty has evaporated.
"Wasn't too sure of Makhanya when he first signed," he says, but after this latest display, the South African looked so composed it “was like a kick about in the back garden with the kids for him.”
One moment in particular stuck with him – the disallowed goal.
"The finish for his disallowed goal was absolutely stunning too," Chris adds, a line that says as much about the player’s confidence as it does about his technique.
Two wins over Celtic in a week. A title race dragged back into the tightest of margins. A team suddenly playing with conviction and bite.
If this is only the beginning, how far can McInnes and this Rangers side push it?
