Rangers refuse to group all three Celtic games together in pivotal period for club

Rangers manager Michael Beale says he can’t look upon his team’s trip to Celtic Park on Saturday as the first part of a derby triple-header.

Rangers manager Michael Beale says the three games with Celtic that await will each present different scenarios. (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group)

The Ibrox men’s commanding league form in four months under the Englishman represents the club’s second-most productive 15-game sequence in 15 years, with 14 wins and a draw. Following the Viaplay Cup final defeat to Ange Postecoglou’s men five weeks ago, the Englishman stated racking up top flight wins wouldn’t earn them any credit so long as they remained bested by their rivals. As they have been with the champions retaining an iron grip on their nine-point gap at the top of the table in matching Rangers’ points-gathering across Beale’s tenure.

Yet, the forthcoming trio of confrontations with their ancient adversaries have the capacity to alter both the trajectory of the campaign and perceptions of Rangers’ endeavours with the 42-year-old at the Ibrox helm. Were he somehow to guide his side to wins in all three derbies – a Scottish Cup semi-final on April 30 sandwiched between two cinch Premiership meetings – it would be presented as a major momentum shift. Beale believes it would be foolish to think in that fashion, though, as he anticipates an extensive squad revamp in the summer and, at most, only 10 matches of this term still to be navigated.

“I have to tackle each game as it comes,” said the 42-year-old of the derby match-ups. “The three games are going to be different. No fans [for us on Saturday], to a 50-50 split at Hampden, to all the fans [at Ibrox]. That’s going to [place] a difference on everything. For us as a team, it’s been a long time since I came in. The last time the team lost in the league was the first week in November. We’re now into April. It’s been a long time, 20 weeks of good form in the league. We just need to keep repeating it. I don’t care if we don’t get any praise from outside, I’ve got to see the progress inside. I’ll judge us on the next game, but listen I know this group is going to be completely different in 11 games’ time.”