Philippe Clement’s only real Rangers injury is a pang of regret and one way to halt Belgian waffler status.

Before meeting Celtic, Philippe Clement was pricked in the eye by the erratic finger of fate, yet this did not cause him to lose his vision. The Belgian made fun of the team’s daily diet of denial when it came to losing key players to injury, while Celtic made a big deal out of exploiting Rangers’ alleged diminished strength. The Rangers manager’s sole wound was a twinge of sorrow. Even though his squad dominated Celtic on Thursday, they were still far behind in the league standings due to their inability to win in places like Motherwell, Paisley, and Kilmarnock.

This afternoon, in front of a packed stadium and a live television audience, a type of travel sickness will need to be handled at Easter Road. A victory suggests that Clement’s once-struggling team will be renewed. The benefit of defeating the tea team across the city is somewhat undermined by any single point loss.Rangers’ primary duty, considering the game begins at midday in Edinburgh, is to cut Celtic’s championship advantage to eight points and see whether that frightens anyone when Brendan Rodgers’ team plays St Mirren later in the day.

The magnitude of Clement’s Old Firm derby victory was too great to be written off as the law of averages telling us that it had to happen eventually. However, the next game must provide proof that a corner has been turned. Opinion surveys have shown Clement’s popularity fluctuating so much that it’s hard to tell if some cynical individuals are happy that he defeated Celtic since it keeps him employed. Or whether popular trust in him has been solidly restored, resulting in his approval rating finally assuming a stable position.

Clement’s case is now covered under Article Six of the European Convention on Human Rights in the city that is home to the Scottish parliament. “Everyone has the right to a fair and public hearing within a reasonable time,” this clause reads.The moment has come for the Belgian. Under the influence of numerous sports scientists, he has been seen as anything from a liability to a visionary, with multiple pauses to question his ability to select players and his judgment.

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