The discussion surrounding Celtic and Rangers and the gap between the two teams was a hot topic this season for a change.
With Rangers running the Parkhead club really close for the title, Brendan Rodgers managed to see his team over the line in what was one of the tightest challenges Celtic have had in a few years.
At one point before the two final Glasgow Derby games, Rangers were being touted as favourites as a media narrative began about Celtic dropping out of it.
However, a 3-3 draw at Ibrox was then followed up with a 2-1 Celtic Park win and, coupled with Rangers’ capitulation against Ross County and Dundee, that sealed the Hoops’ third title win in a row to spark scenes of joy at the weekend.
But it was what Graeme Souness said about the two clubs after his old club’s Parkhead defeat that grabbed much of the headlines.
Lennon rubbished Souness’ Celtic v Rangers claim
The former Rangers manager convinced himself that the gap between Celtic and Rangers is not as big as people are making out.
Souness launched a staunch defence of his old club when he said, “Alright, forget the point. The last three games, I can’t even remember what the first one was, but it’s been 3-3, 2-1 and 2-1 and the two 2-1’s are when Rangers went to ten men, is that suggesting they’re miles apart?
“If it’s not the six points you’re gauging it by, then gauge it on the head-to-head.”
And appearing on talkSPORT this afternoon Jim White asked Neil Lennon what he thought of Souness’ claim:
White: “Graeme Souness told Simon and myself the other day that there’s not much between Rangers and Celtic.
“We disputed that. What’s your take on that?”
Lennon: “I mean, I would agree with you on that. I think the gap is going to get bigger now with Celtic getting into the Champions League with the finances.
“Look, I’ve watched the games Jim and in every game, Celtic’s taken the lead and have been, more or less, pretty comfortable in the games.
“I think Rangers are the ones who have the questions to answer, you know, the style play and the recruitment side of things.
“They ran Celtic pretty close for a while but you always got the impression that, eventually, the extra quality that Celtic have and the real consistent form in the last couple of months, I think that’s been the difference between the two teams.”
The cold, hard facts are this. Even when Celtic went to Ibrox with a makeshift defence in the first derby of the season, Rodgers still left the south side with all three points.
The following two games were contested without Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate in the side and Callum McGregor as a second-half sub in the Ibrox draw and the Celtic manager still managed to take four points from six.
And in the final match between the two teams, Celtic were very comfortable after taking a two-goal lead into half-time.
Rangers have not really tested Celtic in these games and all the Parkhead club has done is prove that when it comes to the big games, they have it in them, even without their best players, to get a result when it matters.
There isn’t just a gap, it’s a chasm and it’s likely only going to get bigger when Brendan Rodgers strengthens in the summer.