Alex McLeish tips Aberdeen to finish second above Rangers

Alex McLeish believes Aberdeen should be considered the favourites to finish above Rangers again this season.

Former Rangers boss Alex McLeish. Picture: Robert Perry

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Aberdeen were best of the rest last season above Pedro Caixinha’s men and they’ve already made a strong start to the current campaign, winning their first three games.

The ex-Ibrox manager hailed the work done by Derek McInnes in the summer window, as the Aberdeen boss went about adding key players following the departures of Jonny Hayes, Niall McGinn and Ryan Jack.

As for his old side, even though they’ve failed to win two of their opening three games, McLeish insists the priority must remain stopping Celtic from winning another title.

He told BBC Scotland: “I still think Aberdeen are the favourites. They still have a really good chance of finishing second.

“Derek McInnes has bought wisely again. If you look at the guys he’s recruited, there is good experience there. Stevie May - what a buy that is.

“Being first, that’s the only thing that Rangers fans crave but common sense would tell you that they should be accepting second.

“People talk about ‘let’s stop 10 in a row’. They’ve got to stop seven in a row. That is their mission this season.

“I’ve said Aberdeen could finish above them but Rangers have still got to pull out all the stops to try to beat Celtic this season.”