Chris Sutton has dismissed the notion that Rangers’ energy-sapping penalty shootout victory over Fenerbahce in the Europa League on Thursday will be a valid excuse if they lose to Celtic in the Glasgow derby on Sunday.
Sutton, a former Celtic player, believes that the adrenaline rush of playing in a high-stakes derby match should be enough to overcome any fatigue. He thinks that if Celtic wins, Rangers will likely use the “tiredness” excuse, but he’s not buying it.
Speaking on The Warm-Up, Sutton said, “Pound to a penny, if Rangers lose, they’ll be wheeling that old one out. ‘Oh, we were tired, took so much out of us on Thursday night’.” When asked if the adrenaline boost should lift the players, Sutton replied, “Well, I would think so. I mean, blimey, if you’re not motivated for a Celtic-Rangers game, then…”
Kris Boyd, a former Rangers player, agreed with Sutton, saying that if Rangers start the game well, the tiredness excuse will be “out the window.” Boyd pointed out that Rangers have been playing Thursday-Sunday-Thursday-Sunday for weeks and had no game at the weekend, so fatigue shouldn’t be an issue.
The Glasgow derby is expected to be a highly competitive match, with Celtic looking to avenge their 3-0 loss to Rangers in January. Despite Rangers’ midweek exertions, Sutton and Boyd believe that they should be motivated enough to put in a strong performance.
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