Rangers play host to Celtic on Sunday afternoon at Ibrox.
Former Celtic midfielder Kris Commons has told Sky Sports that he believes Graeme Murty deserves the Rangers job now, regardless of Sunday’s Old Firm derby result between the Gers and Celtic.
Murty, 43, took over until the end of the season after first being the Gers’ interim manager following the sacking of Pedro Caixinha, and has taken Rangers to within six points of Celtic ahead of Sunday’s clash.
A win for the Gers would see Murty reduce the gap to just three points and certainly increase talk of a Scottish Premiership title race with the two Old Firm sides still to meet after the split.
Commons was asked whether Murty needs to win on Sunday to earn the permanent Rangers role, with the former Reading defender only contracted until the end of the season. But Commons believes he deserves the job, regardless.
“I think what he’s done is remarkable,” Commons said. “The club was in the middle of a really, worrying moment. The results weren’t going for them, attendances were down. It wasn’t nice football to watch under Pedro.
“He came in, under pressure, a very inexperienced manager, but what Graeme has done at Rangers in his time there, so I think beating Celtic is very important, but to get the Rangers job it is not vital.”
The Gers will be in buoyant mood ahead of Sunday’s showdown after winning nine of their last 10 league and cup outings, the other being a narrow 2-1 loss to Neil Lennon’s Hibernian.
It could be considered the best time to play Celtic, who are without a number of senior members due to injury and suspension. Craig Gordon, Mikael Lustig, Dedryck Boyata, Stuart Armstrong and Leigh Griffiths will all be missing.
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