Chris Sutton faced criticism from Neil McCann after claiming Ianis Hagi “made a total meal” of a missed first-half strike during Rangers’ 3-0 win over Celtic on Thursday.
Hagi broke through Celtic’s defense, creating space to shoot from the edge of the box, but his effort went wide. While Rangers ultimately secured victory at Ibrox, thanks in part to Hagi’s opening goal, the attacker missed a chance to double his tally.
Sutton placed full blame on Hagi for the miss, stating live on Sky Sports Main Event (2 January), “He’s made a total meal of that, Hagi.” McCann, however, disagreed, countering, “I tell you what, I disagree, Chris. I think Bernardo comes in and just catches him.” Sutton concluded the debate by saying, “I knew you’d say that. I’m going to disagree with you.”
Ianis Hagi Revitalizes Rangers
The idea that Ianis Hagi wasn’t in Philippe Clement’s plans earlier this season now seems implausible. The Romanian, who was reportedly due a £6,000 wage increase upon reaching 100 appearances for Rangers (Daily Record, 13 August), has proven instrumental in turning the club’s fortunes around.
His partnership with Hamza Igamane has been pivotal in reshaping Rangers’ season, potentially aiding Clement’s position as manager. Despite cutting Celtic’s lead from 14 to 11 points, Rangers still have significant ground to cover before mounting a confident title challenge, even with Hagi in outstanding form.
