Rangers suffer loss to Premiership rivals as ex Celtic hero names 'minimum' European expectation

Rangers resume their Scottish Premiership campaign with an away trip to Kilmarnock as they target their fourth consecutive victory in the league.

The Light Blues are hoping to reduce the five point gap between themselves and fellow title hopefuls Celtic and Aberdeen but will have plenty to work on in training ahead of the game after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Dundee during the international break.

The match was an uncompetitive affair, designed with the sole intention of helping both side’s maintain fitness. However, Dundee boss Tony Docherty has claimed that many of the biggest names from both teams were involved including James Tavernier and Cyriel Dessers.

Seb Palmer-Holuden scored the only goal of the game which took place at Murray Park.

Docherty told Courier Sport: “We both put out two strong teams and all the players, outside those who were away on international duty, were involved.

“Rangers had a really strong team with James Tavernier, Cyriel Dessers and Davy Propper, most of their top players. I was able to play a strong team as well.

“We won 1-0 and it was really, really pleasing. We put on a really good performance.”

Alan Stubbs outlines Celtic’s European expectations

Former Celtic defender and two-time Premiership winner Alan Stubbs believes his former club should be capable of achieving a minimum finish of a play-off spot in this season’s Champions League.

The 53-year-old, who also managed St Mirren and Hibs earlier in his career, told BestBettingSites: “Brendan’s record in Europe is certainly something that he’ll look to improve this season, because it hasn’t been great. Celtic’s dominance of domestic football in Scotland does put the Champions League into sharper focus. 

“When you look at this new format, you would like to think that Celtic would get into the play-off positions at a minimum. That has to be the minimum requirement for Brendan in the Champions League this season, finishing from ninth to twenty-fourth in the table.”

Celtic started their campaign with an emphatic 5-1 home victory against Slovan Bratislava but were humbled in a disappointing 7-1 loss away to Borussia Dortmund.

The Hoops take on Europa League winners Atalanta, RB Leipzig, Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, BSC Young Boys and Aston Villa in their remaining six games.

Stubbs believes Celtic should be able to pick up results in a number of those ties. He added: “Looking at the points, realistically, to finish in those positions, it looks like you might get away with nine points, but ten to fourteen is the benchmark, and Celtic already have three on the board. I look at the games, they’ve got Atalanta away next, which is going to be tough, so you wouldn’t expect them to get something there. 

“Then they’ve got Leipzig at home, Club Bruges at home, and then Zagreb away. Those are the games where they need to start putting points on the board. If they can take six points from those games, then they’re almost there in terms of making that play-off. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s certainly doable. 

“Looking further ahead, they’ve got Young Boys and then Villa away. It’s going to be tough, but it’s achievable. I think if they don’t get the required points to finish in the play-off positions then the Champions League would be looked at as a failure for Brendan Rodgers and Celtic this season. It would be really disappointing if Celtic’s European campaign ended at the group stage.”