Rangers next manager favourite confirmed before facing Celtic

Jul 30, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Liverpool FC manager Brendan Rodgers after a game against Manchester City FC at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jul 30, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Liverpool FC manager Brendan Rodgers after a game against Manchester City FC at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Going into Ibrox this weekend, Celtic will know that they will lift the league title come the end of the campaign, no matter what happens. The Premiership is already mathematically secured. Yet, that does not mean that the Hoops won't do everything within their power to win against the Rangers, especially after losing their previous two meetings.

Brendan Rodgers will be eager to bring that losing streak to an end at two. Of course, the Celtic boss has already confirmed that he will be at Parkhead next season. So, there are plenty more derbies in his future.

On the other hand, this looks set to be Barry Ferguson's last one as Rangers head coach. He was brought in as the interim manager following Philippe Clement's sacking earlier in the season and it looks like there is very little chance that he will get the job on a permanent basis.

So, who will be in charge at Ibrox next season, with the takeover expected to go through by then? We have seen plenty of high-profile names being linked with the job over the past few weeks. But as reported by Football Insider, Steven Gerrard is now the leading candidate for the Rangers managerial role over other candidates such as Marco Rose.

Rangers next manager favourite confirmed before facing Celtic

Of course, the entire thought process behind bringing back Gerrard would be based on the fact that he won the league title with the Rangers last time around. What many people tend to forget is that that was his only trophy in over three seasons at Ibrox.

No other manager has been shown that kind of patience at Ibrox since then. And one could argue that he would have been shown the exit door after the 19/20 campaign under normal circumstances.

Of course, Gerrard is someone who Rodgers knows well. And it is not just from coming up against each other as managers. The Northern Irishman also managed him 126 times while he was Liverpool boss.

Also, it is worth mentioning that Gerrard's two managerial stints after leaving the Rangers have been flops. He failed at Aston Villa while Unai Emery has done wonders with pretty much the same team. And he could not get it done at Al-Ettifaq either. So, going back to the Merseyside legend would be a risky move for the Ibrox club, and one Celtic fans would want them to make.

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