'Rangers not fabulous, Celtic brutal at the back' - Ex-Celtic ace delivers withering title verdict

Charlie Nicholas has given his verdict on the Premiership title. Picture: SNS

The Ibrox side went 22 points ahead of their rivals on Sunday with a 2-1 win at Aberdeen.

Celtic, who are due to face Hibs this evening, have four games in hand which could bring them to within ten points of their rivals.

Nicholas, however, feels it’s a stretch with the difference between the two sides clear: the defence.

While Rangers have conceded just six goals in 23 matches, Celtic have shipped 15 in 19.

For Nicholas it comes back to recruitment and the dropping of standards at Parkhead.

‘I hold Celtic guilty’

He told Paddy Power’s podcast, From The Horse’s Mouth: “They are brutal at the back, Rangers are not a fabulous footballing side. In fact, when they beat Celtic the last two times, their strikers haven’t even played well. Celtic should have won on January 2, but they couldn’t put the ball in the net because Rangers are so strong defensively.

“I hold Celtic guilty, because I thought they got lazy in the type of players that they've acquired.

“There have been problems at Celtic. Lennon has been chopping and changing the style and the personnel, and it's caught up with them. Whereas Gerrard has been ruthless, tight defensively, solid in midfield and they’ve nicked a few goals upfront.”

He added: "Celtic and Rangers will dominate the other teams domestically, but Celtic are faltering. They've let their standards drop whereas Rangers have raised the bar in Europe, which means domestically they gather momentum.

"I have to hold my hands up and say that Rangers have been by far the most consistent and better team.”

'Real sad season’

Nicholas is not yet willing to state definitively that Rangers will win the title he admits he doesn’t “see any way back” for his former club.

"The standards have dropped. Rangers have caught them up, and now we're in real danger.

"I've not admitted the title is going to Rangers yet. I'm probably a fool for saying that, but I don’t see any way back for Celtic either.

“It's going to end up a real sad season for them.”

Charlie Nicholas was talking on Paddy Power’s podcast, From The Horse’s Mouth, which you can listen to at podfollow.com/horsesmouth