Rangers FC are playing like champions in the early stage of the season, but will that trend continue until the end?
The title race in Scotland currently involves Rangers, Celtic, Hibernian, and Aberdeen, however, the ultimate expectation among neutral fans and pundits is that Rangers and Celtic will separate themselves from the rest of the pack as the season progresses.
At the moment, Rangers are flying high and playing with confidence as they occupy the top spot in the Scottish Premiership with six victories and one draw to earn 19 points through seven games.
It is also worth noting that the Light Blues have attracted plenty of attention across Europe because of their stellar defensive record – zero goals conceded.
The current record in Europe, which was set by Ajax, is nine consecutive clean sheets to start a season, and Rangers are not far off that achievement. Celtic are also performing well, but the defending champions are two games behind due to the Boli Bolingoli scandal.
Neil Lennon’s side are in third place with 13 points after five games. Despite being two games behind Rangers, Celtic have scored just as many goals as the league-leaders, and 10 of their 15 goals were scored in two games against Hamilton Academical and Ross County.
It is obvious that both teams are performing at an elite level, but who will raise the title at the end of the season?
According to new calculations that were published by FiveThirtyEight, Celtic will celebrate their tenth consecutive league title, which would set a new record in Scotland.
Gers’ hot start to the season has been impressive, but not good enough for the FiveThirtyEight computer to crown them as champions at the end of the season.
The calculations predict Celtic to conclude the 2020-21 campaign with 94 points, while Rangers would finish seven points behind (87) in second place.
In terms of overall odds, Rangers only have a 28% chance of winning the title this season. That is not the news Rangers supporters want to hear, but, at the same time, these calculations are nothing more than predictions.
The Light Blues have been stellar to this point, and they should solely be focused on writing their own destiny.
Celtic are facing some internal issues since their shocking elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Ferencvaros, and this bodes well for their rivals in blue.
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Most fans want to see a new manager come in, and, according to Lennon himself, multiple key players are seeking exits from Celtic Park.
Rangers, on the other hand, do not have any major distractions, they have developed consistency on the pitch, and are dominating their opponents in every possible category.
For now, Rangers look more like champions than Celtic, but there is still a long way to go.