They are a mess on and off the park- Sutton on how the Glasgow Derby lost its edge to become a party

Chris Sutton believes that the sting has been taken out of the Glasgow Derby due to the mess that Phil Clement’s side are in.

Last season Celtic came out on top four times and drew the other match but each win was just by a single goal.

Last Sunday the hoops cruised to a routine 3-0 victory with most pundits outside of a small bubble admitting that the margin of victory could have been more emphatic.

Other than Matt O’Riley Brendan Rodgers has last season’s squad to call on, a year wiser and more experienced with a couple of additions made before the transfer window closed.

Across the city Clement has been involved in a major clear out. Five players left at the end of their contracts with a one out one in policy adopted to the rebuild.

Last week Celtic discovered their Champions League opponents with expectations that a further £40m could be raised before the end of the year, for Clement there was a tough Europa League to content with on Thursday nights with no confirmation that Ibrox will be available

That all builds up to quite a gulf, writing in the Daily Record Sutton didn’t try to pretend and talk up a rivalry that appears to have become very predictable.

Watching the game against Philippe Clement’s side, it is obvious they are in a mess.

I’d never, ever take the outcome of an Old Firm match for granted. I’ve been involved in enough of them to know that strange things can happen. But, as I made my way into the match last weekend, I sensed a lack of edge amongst the punters.

I’m not going to go overboard and suggest it had a testimonial feel, but let’s just say there was a relaxed, almost party, atmosphere amongst them before the game had even started. It was as if the fans didn’t have any solitary doubt their heroes were going to win and the ensuing 90 minutes proved them absolutely correct.

Clement’s team were bang average and, in truth, Rangers are in a complete mess both on and off the park. That’s not just me saying that, it’s a large number of their own Ibrox faithful.

If Celtic beat Hearts next Saturday it will open up an eight point gap over Clement’s side who travel to third placed Dundee United the following day.

A seven point gap created by defeats to Kilmarnock, Celtic and Aberdeen cost Micky Beale his job a year ago, if Clement finds his side eight points adrift in September the pressure and tension will be cranked up on the Belgian.