Monday 12 March 2018 11:31, UK
Former Rangers forward Derek Johnstone says Graeme Murty should still be favourite for the permanent manager's job despite showing 'inexperience' in Sunday's Old Firm defeat.
Rangers lost 3-2 to Celtic in a five goal thriller having led the match twice in an end-to-end first half.
Celtic also played the last 33 minutes with 10 men after Jozo Simunovic was shown a straight red card.
Johnstone praised the job Murty has done at Rangers but believes the experience between the two manager's proved key at Ibrox.
He said: "Graeme Murty's lack of experience showed a bit when he didn't bring on the likes of [Jason] Cummings. When Celtic went down to 10 men he could have played two men up the park and had a real go at Celtic. He will learn from that and so will the players.
"I think he is still favourite to get the job no matter what happens between now and the end of the season. If you said to me that Rangers would be competing with Celtic in the last third of the season and in the semi-final of the Scottish Cup, I think I would have bit your hand off for that."
Johstone was full of praise for the Celtic boss and thinks Brendan Rodgers got his substitutes right in the second half.
Rodgers brought on PSG loanee Odsonne Edouard who scored the winner two minutes after replacing Tomas Rogic.
Johnstone believes the positive change led to Celtic winning the match.
He added: "His experience shone through when he brought Edouard on. You'd think going down to 10 men, he'd bring a defender on right away and go away happy with a point.
"He doesn't park the bus, Brendan Rodgers, he brought on another striker and in the end that was the undoing of Rangers when Edouard scored that magnificent goal."
Celtic now have a nine-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership but the two Glasgow clubs meet again next month in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup at Hampden Park.
