Rangers in danger of posting worst Ibrox record in over a century

A week ago, Rangers were looking to hit the heights. Now, the Ibrox club must guard against plumbing modern-day depths.

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The 3-2 derby defeat last Sunday means this season is the first since 1971-72 that the Ibrox club have lost six home league games. The 1959-60 season is the only other one in the post-war era that has yielded so many home league reverses.

Yet this situation could become worse, much worse. It is likely that Graeme Murty’s men will have five Premiership fixtures on their own path before the season is out, with tomorrow’s visit by Kilmarnock the first of these.

Last week's defeat at home to Celtic was the sixth Rangers have suffered in the league this season. Picture: SNS

Should they lose any of these games then, incredibly, they will post seven home league losses in a league campaign for the first time since 1914-15.

The fallibility of Graeme Murty’s men - and four of the six defeats have been on his watch - is bizarre when set against their away league form.

Rangers are on a par with champions-elect Celtic for points garnered on the road in the Premiership, both clubs claiming 35 from 15 matches. When it comes to home games, though, it is their city rivals and almost half the top flight that Ibrox men can’t keep pace with.

Last week's defeat at home to Celtic was the sixth Rangers have suffered in the league this season. Picture: SNS

Celtic haven’t lost at home domestically in two years. Rangers haven’t been able to go two months in this campaign with a visiting team getting the better of them.

Two of Rangers’ six league losses were inflicted by Brendan Rodgers’ men, of course, with Hibernian also completing an Ibrox double and Hamilton Accies and St Johnstone posting historic wins in Govan. These results mean they have lost more home league games than Hearts, who have only two such reverses, Aberdeen and Hibs, sitting on four, and Motherwell, beaten five times on their own patch. Their six home league defeats put the Ibrox side are on a par with Kilmarnock.

Under Murty, Rangers have undoubtedly progressed as a side. However, their home faithful would be entitled to feel they have been treated to their club merely backpedaling.