---
title: "Weekend result proves that Rangers can compete with Celtic"
canonical: "https://readrangers.com/2019/08/12/weekend-result-proves-that-rangers-can-compete-with-celtic"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
section: "Articles and Opinions"
published: "2019-08-12T18:51:06Z"
modified: "2019-08-13T08:05:19Z"
---

# Weekend result proves that Rangers can compete with Celtic

It is very early days in the SPFL season – but the main news is that both Celtic and Rangers have won both of [their games](https://spfl.co.uk/league/premiership/table).

Celtic have so far thrashed [St Johnstone 7-0](https://spfl.co.uk/league/premiership/results) and beat [Motherwell 5-2](https://spfl.co.uk/league/premiership/results) – they have certainly laid down a marker to their inter-city rivals.

Rangers, meanwhile, have scraped [by Kilmarnock](https://spfl.co.uk/league/premiership/results) and hammered [Hibernian 6-1](https://spfl.co.uk/league/premiership/results).

This latest result from Steven Gerrard’s side proves that they can match Celtic in the [goalscoring department](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-developed-ruthless-streak-needed-18906100) – and that could prove to be very important by the end of the season.

It seems that Celtic will not let up – and if the first two games are anything to go off, they look [ruthless in attack](https://www.67hailhail.com/news/tommy-wright-left-celtic-park-full-of-praise-for-neil-lennons-team/).

Rangers are also going to have to be lethal as well – and with a strike force of Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe that should not be a problem.

Defoe has scored [13 goals](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=17118) in just [25 appearances](https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=17118) for Rangers so far – and Morelos has [53 goals](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/alfredo-morelos/leistungsdaten/spieler/338962) in [97 appearances](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/alfredo-morelos/leistungsdaten/spieler/338962).

On Sunday Defoe started up front on his own and bagged a [perfect hat-trick](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49223754) – he was then replaced by Morelos who [scored a brace](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49223754).

These two represent [serious firepower](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-developed-ruthless-streak-needed-18906100) – and if they stay fit and in form, then Rangers could put a lot of teams to the sword.

Celtic’s two wins have not only been impressive because they have collected maximum points – but they have also laid down a psychological [challenge to Rangers](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49199813).

Can the Gers keep up with their scoring rate?

From the evidence of Sunday, it certainly looks like they can.

It is very early in the season, but it looks as if this could be the closest SPFL title race[since 2011](https://www.skysports.com/scottish-premier-table/2010) – the last time that the [Gers won it](https://www.skysports.com/scottish-premier-table/2010).