SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE:RANGERS COULD yet lighten Neil Lennon's predicament. Celtic's manager watched his team fall 12 points behind their title rivals after drawing 0-0 with Hibernian at Celtic Park on Saturday. Rangers had clocked up their latest away victory at Aberdeen earlier in the day.

However, firm focus remains on the off-field matters at Ibrox. If Rangers slide into administration to avert the threat of a potential €56 million tax bill – a prospect attracting increasing speculation – the Scottish Premier League will deduct them at least 10 points. That situation could come to a head within the next fortnight.

Whether that would be enough to save Lennon’s position remains to be seen. A string of poor Celtic showings this season have been badly received by supporters. Celtic’s trip to second-placed Motherwell next weekend appears significant for Lennon’s future. “We want him to stay,” said Celtic’s midfielder Joe Ledley. “He’s a great manager and we all want to try to win things for him and ourselves.”

Lennon was scathing of Celtic’s showing against Hibs. He believes too many of his squad are relying on others to pull them through games, with only a batch of injuries likely to delay wholesale changes. “I am not happy with some of them,” Lennon said. “A few have been consistent like Ki (Sung-yueng) and Joe Ledley. There are others who are happy to go along, riding on their backs. I have to speak to them and out them, basically.”

Rangers’ 2-1 win was offset by an injury to Steven Naismith. There are fears of ligament damage to a knee after being forced out of the game at Pittodrie. “There is no doubt the shine has been taken off the result by Steven’s injury,” said Ally McCoist, the Rangers manager.

Guardian Service