Souness Backs Rangers to Challenge Celtic for Scottish Premiership

Rangers have strengthened their Scottish Premiership title prospects after consecutive victories over Celtic, prompting former Rangers manager Graeme Souness to suggest that Derek McInnes's team can reclaim the championship. Speaking to The Rangers Review on October 9, Souness identified Celtic's recruitment decisions as a potential weakness while highlighting the opportunity for Rangers to return to the top of Scottish football.

According to the October 10 reports from Yahoo Sports and the Daily Record, Rangers' recent performances have increased confidence in their ability to challenge the reigning Scottish champions. However, Celtic remain a major obstacle, and Rangers must maintain their form throughout the league campaign to turn their derby success into a sustained title challenge.

Souness believes Rangers have established a psychological advantage over their Glasgow rivals following the two victories. He also praised the club's leadership structure and argued that recruitment quality, rather than spending alone, would determine whether the team could compete successfully.

"We have a wonderful opportunity. We have a wonderful opportunity with how our board is set up. I think you can always find money for players; it's just about getting the right ones.

I think, in the East End of Glasgow, they might be annoyed with themselves that they haven't strengthened and got better players than what they've got right now at their disposal. I see it as a wonderful opportunity to be number one again." Souness told The Rangers Review.

The comments come after Celtic reportedly spent approximately £35 million on new recruits during the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Record. The report noted that Kasper Hogh and Haissem Hassan had yet to reach their best form, although Camilo Duran had emerged as a successful addition.

Rangers' recent results have also drawn attention to the work of McInnes, who is seeking to build a team capable of sustaining a championship challenge. The Daily Record reported that Souness believes the victories have introduced uncertainty into Celtic's confidence, but he also cautioned that winning the league for the first time is particularly difficult.

"I am, because of my experience in football, aware that it can bite you in the backside pretty quickly. All we can talk about is that we have been fabulous in the last two games against our biggest rival." Souness said, acknowledging the limits of drawing conclusions from a short run of results.

The Rangers squad has developed several combinations that have impressed during the recent revival. Yahoo Sports highlighted defenders Dujon Sterling, Emmanuel Fernandez, Olwethu Makhanya and James Penrice, alongside the midfield partnership of Nicolas Raskin and Dan Neil. Wingers Djeidi Gassama and Minsu Kim have also attracted praise, while Kevin Kelsy and Ryan Naderi have contributed to the team's attacking setup.

The Daily Record reported that Souness urged Rangers to approach upcoming matches aggressively and maintain their intensity against every opponent. He emphasized that the team would need consistent performances rather than relying solely on its recent victories over Celtic.

Despite the optimism surrounding Rangers, Celtic's league position and the length of the remaining campaign mean the championship race remains unresolved. Rangers must continue collecting points against other Scottish Premiership opponents if they are to convert their improved derby record into a serious challenge for the title.