How Rangers could be bottom of Scottish Premiership before next league match

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·17 settembre 2025

How Rangers could be bottom of Scottish Premiership before next league match

Celtic went into the weekend round of Scottish Premiership fixtures top of the table on goal difference from Hearts but with the Edinburgh side playing first they had a tremendous opportunity to hit the front by taking something from their trip to Ibrox on Saturday afternoon to play theRangers…

Hearts manager Derek McInnes celebrates after the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers and Hearts at Ibrox on September 13, 2025. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

Their manager Derek McInnes, who joined Hearts from Kilmarnock in the summer, was named as the Scottish Premiership Manager of the Month for August on Friday as he prepared his team for the trip to Glasgow. Hearts, it fair to say have had a dreadful record against theRangers in recent years but this was McInnes’ first match against them as Hearts boss and he went to Ibrox knowing that he had caused the latest Ibrox club many problems when he was the boss at Rugby Park.

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A goal in each half by striker Lawrence Shankland gave Hearts a 2-0 victory but the scoreline perhaps under-estimates the manner in which the Tynecastle side dominated their Glasgow cousins. Results like this will certainly give everyone connected with Hearts as much satisfaction as claiming a great deal with a BetMGM bonus code, adding extra excitement for fans who follow both football and betting.

Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring the winner for Celtic at Rugby Park, Kilmarnock v Celtic, 14 September 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Next day it was Celtic’s chance to respond and it took a controversial 96th minute penalty kick, awarded by referee John Beaton after being called to the monitor by the VAR officials, to give Brendan Rodgers the three points to restore Celtic to the top of the table with a narrow 2-1 victory.

theRangers manager Russell Martin during the Scottish Premiership match between theRangers and Hearts at Ibrox on September 13, 2025. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

That defeat to Hearts meant that the under siege manager of theRangers Russell Martin finds his side without a win after five games and with only four points leaving theRangers in third bottom of the table, one point ahead of Dundee and three points ahead of Aberdeen who have a game in hand.

This weekend coming is all about the Premier Sports League Cup quarter finals for the Scottish Premiership still involved in the competition. That doesn’t include Hearts who will have a free weekend as result while Kilmarnock play St Mirren, Aberdeen take on Motherwell, theRangers are at home to Hibs and Partick Thistle host the holders Celtic.

Now here’s where it gets interesting. Looking at the Scottish Premiership fixture list, theRangers next match is on Sunday 28 September when they make the trip eastbound on the M8 to take on Livingston. That’s a chance for theRangers manager, whoever he is at that time, to get a first win of the campaign and three valuable points on the board.

However the two sides currently below theRangers in the table – Dundee and Aberdeen – will be busy with league matches BEFORE the latest Ibrox club kicks another ball in the Scottish Premiership.

Dundee host Livingston at Dens Park this Saturday afternoon and a win with see them leapfrog theRangers who will drop to second bottom and the latest Ibrox club can do absolutely nothing about that.

Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin lifts the trophy during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Final match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Hampden Park on May 24, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Then Aberdeen will play TWO league matches in a week before theRangers travel to West Lothian. Next Tuesday 23 September Aberdeen travel down the A90 to the City of Discovery to take on Dundee United at Tannadice. It would take a fairly big win for Jimmy Thelin’s side to get off the bottom of the table but the three points would at least put Aberdeen level with theRangers on four points.

Then on Saturday evening, 27 September in the evening kick-off at Fir Park, if Aberdeen having won at Tannadice can avoid defeat away to Motherwell then theRangers will take the field at Livingston bottom of the league. A truly remarkable state of affairs considering the high expectations for the American take-over in the summer and the new owners having already spent around £70m.

Livingston manager David Martindale reacts during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Livingston at Celtic Park on August 23, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

And incidentally taking on David Martindale’s side on that plastic pitch is going to be no easy task for what could be the bottom side in the Scottish Premiership, theRangers. This scenario if it plays out would certainly amuse the Celtic support!