Updated at 20.32
BARRY FERGUSON’S first home match as interim Rangers boss ended in a 2-1 defeat to Motherwell as Celtic surged 16 points clear in the Scottish Premiership with a 5-2 win at St. Mirren on Saturday.
Ferguson helped inspire a turnaround from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Kilmarnock in midweek.
But the former Rangers captain failed to repeat the trick after another shocking start saw the home side fall 2-0 down at Ibrox before half-time.
Rangers have now lost three consecutive home games for the first time since 2012.
“That level of performance, certainly in the first half, is nowhere near the standards that are needed,” said Ferguson.
“I spoke to them in the dressing room, they understand it. Rangers fans can accept you not playing well. What Rangers fans can’t accept is when your team gets run over the top of in the first 45 minutes.”
Worse could be to come with Ferguson’s men facing Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the Europa League last 16 and a trip to Celtic in their next three games.
“It’s clear they will suffer a heavy defeat,” added Ferguson on what will happen without a major improvement in performances.
“I’m not going to sit here and try and kid people on.”
Luke Armstrong pounced on an error from Jack Butland to put Motherwell in front after nine minutes.
Tom Sparrow then drilled in a second as the visitors’ new manager Michael Wimmer celebrated a famous win.
Cyriel Dessers pulled a goal back for the home side in the second half, but it was too little, too late on another embarrassing afternoon for the blue half of Glasgow.
Celtic are just three wins away from a fourth consecutive title after overcoming stiff resistance from St. Mirren.
Twice the home team came from behind to level in Paisley.
Jeffrey Schlupp’s first Celtic goal was cancelled out by a brilliant Declan John free-kick.
Arne Engels’ penalty put Brendan Rodgers’ men back in front at half-time, only for Ireland U21 international and Crystal Palace loanee Killian Phillips’s strike to loop over Kasper Schmeichel early in the second half.
A triple substitution from Rodgers 25 minutes from time swung the momentum decisively in Celtic’s favour.
Yang Hyun-Jun came off the bench to score twice with headers and in between set up Daizen Maeda for his 26th goal of the season.
“It’s one of my favourite wins of the season,” Rodgers.
“This was a massive step (towards the title) for us today. Third game in a week to come here and score five goals, that performance and result, gives us a 16 point lead.
“Our idea is to finish the season very strong.”
Imagine the howls of outrage and the screams of “Waaayyyycism!” on the journal if the situation was reversed!
But this is racism but not in the right way so no one will talk about it, no one likes to talk about racism against white people.
An everyday example of the double standards that exist with race relations.
I couldn’t possibly say whether Mike Tyson is racist – he may be, he may not be – but what I can say is that if this story was reversed, the Journal’s house woollies (regular readers know who they are) would have been all over this story like a rash. As it is they’re conspicuous in their absence.
Well including this thread there are currently 5 of the 14 comments on this page alluding to the fact that his remark was racist, that’s 36% of the comments on the page. Considering the guys other flaws that’s a pretty good hit rate.
So what if he’s a rapist, he was a damn good boxer.
*racist* Bloody auto correct.
Spike Lee is an overt racist yet he gets away with it even being nominated for Academy Awards.
Why is this animal kept in the spot light. He’s a convicted rapist and has done his sport no favours in bitting his opponents. He also feels it’s appropriate to call someone a “white motherf***er”. If he was called a black motherf***er it would be racist. He’s been in films, had huge air time on TV and Radio, it just doesn’t make sense. Can we not cut this guy loose and find decent people in the world to fill the role he’s occupying.
You can analyse and criticize till the cows come home but there’s only one conclusion you can arrive at.
Mike Tyson had no choice but to become Mike Tyson.
He was a boxer. A ruthless fighting machine. A man in a brutal sport trying to survive.
He was born for the ring.
And that makes raping ok then? Seriously we all have a huge part to play in who we become. External factors influence but not decide who we want to be.
Polarising characters be it positive or negative will always fascinate people, the media and of course people that can make money off their back.
Looking for Doug……
Role models must be petty thin on the ground these days
Why is this bullying rapist still being glorified today???
Cause he is awesome
So you think rape is awesome??? You pathetic fool
Mind your ears son mike is hungry …….
Mike Tyson’s Autobiography is a great read but it can easily be summarised in three words: Boxing, women, cocaine.
Don’t forget , rape.
He should be still in prison how he is allowed into Europe never mind Ireland baffles me because he is a convicted sex offender.
relax he’s not racist sure he was practically adopted by white folks. it’s just how them brooklyn boys talk.
Sun Kil Moon’s ‘Ghosts of the Great Highway’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjA3EbKsl4E&list=PL9C56160C8E63F654
One of the best albums of the last ten years.
Pays tribute to some boxing legends who died too young. Particularly poignant is Duk Koo Kim died in the ring against Ray Mancini, trying to haul himself to his feet with his last breath.
Changed the sport forever.
Well worth a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBBqLPUxddc
A black man cannot be racist