As the Scottish Premiership title race heats up, Celtic defender Liam Scales is making one thing crystal clear: don't count Rangers out just yet.
With the Old Firm derby looming this Sunday at Celtic Park, the defending champions find themselves in an intriguing position. They entered the weekend sitting three points behind league leaders Hearts, while holding a four-point cushion over their Glasgow rivals. But Scales, the 27-year-old Republic of Ireland international, isn't buying into any narrative that writes off Rangers.
"I don't think they'll see themselves out of the title race, because they're not," Scales stated firmly. "They can still win the league. It's obviously a must-win for them in terms of winning the league. So, they're probably going to give everything they have to win the game."
The stakes couldn't be higher for both sides. Hearts have the opportunity to extend their lead by defeating Motherwell on Saturday evening, adding even more pressure to Sunday's showdown. For Scales, the intensity of the rivalry itself provides all the motivation needed.
"I don't think you need any more motivation than this rivalry that we have as well. We're expecting them to be at their very best and we want to match and go beyond that."
When it comes to watching other title contenders, Scales has a rather superstitious approach. "I find whenever I do watch it, it never goes well. So, I'll probably just leave it off, watch something else and then check the result after. You can't control it and you'll end up either getting frustrated or getting your mind taken off what's actually important to us, which is the game on Sunday."
On a more positive note, the defender highlighted Celtic's recent tactical improvements as a key factor in their push for glory. "We've got things right tactically. Off the ball we've been a lot better, pressing we've been a lot better. We've actually scored goals from pressing. Teams are having less joy against us with the ball. That's played a big part in it."
As the season enters its decisive phase, Scales acknowledges the heightened pressure that comes with wearing the green and white. "Obviously it's crunch time now as well. We know what's at stake and that's probably pushing us an extra bit harder to get the results we need. You go into games all the time wanting to win them and that is generally the case at Celtic where there isn't room for error because you're expected to win all your games. But now everything's must-win."
With the title race wide open and the Old Firm derby approaching, one thing is certain: Sunday's clash at Celtic Park will be a defining moment in the Scottish Premiership season.