Philippe Clement warned of Rangers excuse he can't use for players 'buckling' under Celtic title pressure

Ryan Stevenson has warned Philippe Clement against using tiredness as an excuse for his Rangers stars "buckling" under the pressure of chasing the title.

The Ibrox squad lost more ground in the race against Celtic with a goalless draw away to Dundee following defeat to Ross County as well as the recent 3-3 draw with the Hoops in front of a packed crowd. Gers were told by Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton at full-time at Dens that the league was as good as over but the Belgian boss was less worried.

And while Clement acknowledged a further hurdle had been thrown up in their way, he remained defiant that they can indeed still lift the trophy at the end of May.

Asked if the league was over, Stevenson told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast: "I was just expecting Rangers blow Dundee away, but you see it every year. Some teams just buckle under the pressure. I think you can see now that the pressure is weighing on Rangers quite heavily.

"I think they're obviously three points and they have to go to Celtic and goal difference is in Celtic's favour, so it's going to be difficult given the damage the last two results have done. When they wake up this morning they will think about the damage - especially last night.

"You expect Rangers to go to Ross County and win, but it can happen. The manner of the Dundee game, you're thinking whether someone can take the game by the scruff of its neck. You are going for a title here, you Rangers and you are going against Celtic - somebody just take the game by the scruff of the neck. It just petered out."

Pressed, then, on whether Gers' players were shattered going into the game at Dens, Stevenson clapped back: "There's no way tiredness can come into it, these guys have to the best of everything. They've got the best recovery, the best sport scientists. That's not an option. Guys on building sites are tired, footballers are not tired.

"These guys are going for a title, and when it comes down to it you could see the pressure - last night and on Sunday - for some of the players it was just too much. Maybe they don't have the experience of the title race, of being that close and having that chance. A lot of the fans are going expecting Rangers to win and a lot of the Celtic players have been in that position before. The pressure has maybe got to them just a bit too much."