Report: The head coach of Rangers Philippe Clement has been suspended from all sports for placing a bets against…..Read More..

HuhOn top of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Ross County, Clement’s side have now squandered their two games in hand over Celtic and are now three points adrift of the reigning champions.

Dundee had an early strike from Amadou Bakayoko ruled out for offside, while the closest Rangers came to scoring was when Jon McCracken saved superbly from Cyriel Dessers as mental pressure mounted on the visitors.

Clement, though, insisted: “It was nothing to do with focus, desire or will. It was to do with a lack of efficiency, some luck as well.”

Rangers nevertheless have now only won two of their latest eight games and will almost certainly have to win at Celtic Park for the first time since 2020 if they are to prevent their city rivals retaining the title.

“I don’t speak about favourites,” Clement told BBC Scotland. “If we win the last five games, the fans are going to be happy.”

Meanwhile, Dundee have built on clinching their first top-six finish since 2015 at the weekend by moving to within two points of St Mirren to improve their hopes of European qualification for the first time since 2003.

Clement said before kick-off that his side needed a return to basics that were missing in that defeat in Dingwall.

However, within seconds of kick-off, Bakayoko was allowed to turn and send in a cross that fell to Malachi Boateng, with the midfielder’s low drive flying just wide of the far post.

Dundee lost captain Joe Shaughnessy to injury after nine minutes and were immediately caught out at the back as Abdallah Sima’s low drive was blocked by McCracken’s legs.

That first threat on goal failed to settle the visitors and, when Jack Butland parried Luke McCowan’s curling free-kick, Scott Tiffoney’s shot on the rebound off the Rangers goalkeeper was turned in by Bakayoko but ruled out for offside.

Even when Rangers began to enjoy the majority of ball, the closest they came to a goal before the break was a Connor Goldson header straight at McCracken that the goalkeeper gathered at the second attempt with no visiting player taking advantage.

McCracken blocked a Tom Lawrence shot at the front post, while substitute Dessers forced the goalkeeper into a fine finger-tip save.

Rangers were now showing signs of desperation and the night threatened to go from bad to worse as home midfielder Lyall Cameron had a shot blocked in front of goal.

As it was, time ran out not only on their hopes of grabbing a late winner but also seemingly on their hopes of denying Celtic another title.