The pressure on Rangers’ manager Russell Martin intensified on Sunday after his side was held to a dismal 0-0 draw by arch-rivals Celtic in the first Old Firm derby of the season. The result leaves Rangers winless in their first four league games and further complicates Martin’s tenuous position at the club just 11 games into his reign.
Just days after a humiliating 9-1 aggregate exit from the Champions League play-off round at the hands of Club Brugge, the Ibrox crowd made their frustrations clear with a smattering of boos at the final whistle. The draw means Rangers are languishing in sixth place in the Scottish Premiership, already six points adrift of leaders Celtic in a poor start to their title challenge.
Martin’s appointment was met with skepticism by many fans, who recalled his difficult tenure at Southampton which ended in relegation from the Premier League. With the club’s new US-based owners, 49ers Enterprises, in attendance, the performance did little to inspire confidence. Martin, 39, now heads into the international break hoping he is still in charge when the team returns to action against Hearts on September 13th.
While the point took Celtic to the top of the table, it was far from a convincing performance for Brendan Rodgers’ side. Celtic were also knocked out of the Champions League play-off, losing on penalties to Kairat Almaty. Rodgers himself has openly voiced his frustration with the club’s quiet transfer window and failure to improve a squad that dominated the previous season. The goalless stalemate marks the fourth consecutive time the Hoops have failed to defeat their Glasgow rivals.
In a game with few clear-cut chances, the most notable moment of the match came in the 32nd minute when Rangers defender John Souttar had a header ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
