For a few brief moments earlier in the season, it looked like we might have a genuine competition on our hands. With both Celtic and Rangers struggling to get going, the league was reasonably tight in the early stages, Hibernian (under new management) leading the pack of challengers for that Holy Grail of Scottish football: a non-Old Firm league winner.
Two managerial changes later (Jim Gannon and Craig Levein) and following Hibernian’s collapse like a flan in a cupboard at Easter Road last week, natural order looks to be restored to the Scottish game.
A victory against Dundee United tonight (assuming the game goes ahead) will see the Ibrox men open up a seven point lead on Celtic, a lead possibly going up to 10 points should Rangers beat Celtic in the first Old Firm derby of the new year on January 3.
Making up the four points that seperate Hibs and Celtic seems much at this stage, and the massive eight points between rudderless Dundee United (who have suffered only two defeats all season, but have taken only one win from their last five outings) and Celtic looks unlikely to be narrowed any time soon – at least not by United.
It ain’t over until the fat lady sings, as the popular expression goes, but in truth, the fat lady is already outside the stadium flagging down a taxi to take her to next season.
