Celtic still favourites for title – former Hoops striker

Rangers are impressing with their January recruitment but Celtic remain favourites for the title, according to former Hoops striker Scott McDonald.

Steven Gerrard’s side ended the year with a morale-boosting 1-0 home win over the Parkhead men to go level on points at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership.

The Ibrox club have signed 36-year-old striker Jermain Defoe on loan from Bournemouth while Northern Ireland skipper Steven Davis, 34, has rejoined his former club from Southampton with Dundee’s Glen Kamara and Kilmarnock’s Jordan Jones having signed pre-contract agreements.

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, for his part, has bought 22-year-old Ivory Coast forward Vakoun Issouf Bayo from Dunajska Streda while signing 18-year-old USA international Timothy Weah on loan from Paris St Germain and 21-year-old Oliver Burke on loan from West Brom.

McDonald said while he has been impressed by Rangers’ activity in the transfer market, he still sees Celtic having the edge. The former Australia attacker, these days a pundit, said: “You have to look at the experience Rangers have brought in and say, who is going to hit the ground running and it would be Rangers, wouldn’t it?

“Steven Davis has been here and done it before. He is an exceptional footballer and obviously Jermain Defoe coming in and adding that quality in front of goal. Celtic have signed a lot of youthful talent and it is a question of whether or not they can hit the ground running.

“Coming to Scotland is a little bit different, even probably for Jermain.

“I do still make Celtic favourites because they have been there and done it in previous seasons.

“They have a game in hand, they are still in control.”

Oliver Burke: Loan signing from West Brom