Rangers dropped points for the first time since September as they were held to a draw at Fir Park
Neil McCann has warned Rangers that they cannot afford to take their foot off the pedal as they close in on the title.
Celtic’s draw against Livingston on Saturday handed Steven Gerrard’s men a chance to go 23 points clear at Fir Park the following day, but Motherwell held them to a 1-1 draw.
Despite enjoying 73% of the possession, Rangers were criticised by Gerrard for their laboured first-half performance.
Speaking on Sky Sports following the match, he said: “Disappointed with our showing in the first half. We had to get into them a little bit at half-time, and I thought we were really good in the second half.
“Over the course of the 90 minutes we probably deserved to win it on chances, and on our second-half showing, but the reality is we can’t come to a game at half-time when we are where we are.”
“I don’t think we started the game in the right place, what we prepared for.
“I thought we were passive out of possession, in too many key areas on the pitch, and even when we knocked a few passes together and got into good areas our quality wasn’t there.
“Our front three, who we’re relying on to create for us and get shots off and provide some magic, it wasn’t there in the first 45, so we got into them at half-time.
“Had to make substitutions to send them a message, and I thought the lads showed a lot of belief and character and played as a completely different team for the second 45, but the disappointing thing is that there were two sides of us today.”
Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Sportsound, former Rangers winger McCann urged the league leaders to avoid complacency.
Asked if an increasing gap would lead to a slump in form from Rangers, he said: “No, that absolutely shouldn’t be an excuse.
“You’ve got yourself into this kind of lead and you think ‘It’s okay, we’ll turn the engine down now and idle towards the finish line’?
“It never, ever happened in my time when I was winning titles at Rangers.
“The group of players I was with were relentless. The first two we were relentless towards our quest of winning the title.
“The first one we went to Celtic Park and did it and the second time around we went to Celtic Park and virtually secured it, though it didn’t, it sent us on our way.
“You then look at the next one and say ‘How quick can we get this done?’.
“The third one we had to go all the way and it went all the way to the last day of the season when we were going toe-to-toe.
“Teams who are hungry and full of desire want to get it done as soon as soon as they can. They won’t want to let it drip away and saw we have created such a gap we are going to amble across the line.
“That isn’t how champions work, they are normally just ruthless, and just totally dismiss the challenge that is behind them.
“Then, when you are champions, and want to take the foot off the gas and put a few young boys in then you are entitled to do that, but generally that should not be accepted in a dressing room.”
Rangers now have a 21-point lead at the top of the Premiership, albeit having played three more games than Neil Lennon’s side.
Gerrard’s men are next in action on Saturday, when they welcome Ross County to Ibrox.
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