Are Gers on the Eve of changing their fortunes?
A victory at Motherwell would be the perfect early Christmas present for the Rangers supporters.
It would keep alive their hopes of going to Celtic Park on Saturday and leaving with the three points that would see them end the year on top of the league.
Christmas Eve success has never led to the Ibrox men taking the title at the end of the season in the last 50 years. In fact, only their worst December 24 result saw them enjoy a Championshipwinning campaign.
Aberdeen thumped Rangers 4-0 at Pittodrie in 1977, but the Light Blues had gone into the game with a five-point lead and a game in hand over the Dons. Many observers thought a victory would have seen the title gift-wrapped for Jock Wallace’s men. However, the home side produced their best performance of the season and emerged as convincing winners thanks to goals by Ian Gibson, Davie Robb, Joe Harper and Drew Jarvie. The Rangers fans weren’t too full of festive cheer and invaded the pitch near the end.
They were happier a few months later when their favourites finished five points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the table. Christmas came a day early for St Mirren in 2011 when Rangers got two men sent off as the Buddies recorded a 2-1 win. Lee Wallace had scored the opening goal of the game before Lee Mcculloch was sent off for an elbow on Graham Carey.
Aaron Mooy, later to win the league with Celtic under Ange Postecoglou, levelled for Saints and Paul Mcgowan scored the winner.
Rangers were reduced to ten men when Dorin Goian picked up a second yellow card near the end.
Ally Mccoist’s side then lost 1-0 to Celtic on December 28, allowing their Glasgow rivals to go top for the first time that season.
The Hoops won the title by 20 points. Rangers were already well adrift of Celtic when they beat Inverness Caley Thistle 1-0 on December 24, 2016, the last time they have played on Christmas Eve.
Brad Mckay deflected a Waghorn shot into his own net to give Mark Warburton’s team the three points. It was their fourth successive victory, but they were 14 points behind Celtic and had played one game more.
The defending champions won their sixth consecutive title with eight games to play.