Is Martin Only Winner In One Of Worst Old Firm Derbies?

Zero shots connected target, nary wins successful 4 Scottish Premiership games and a worst commencement to a convention play successful 42 years.

Yet, somehow, Rangers caput coach Russell Martin will consciousness a much-needed assistance aft 1 of nan worst Old Firm derbies of each time.

Despite Celtic's European disappointment successful midweek, galore expected Brendan Rodgers' broadside to respond by ramping up nan aggravated power connected nan Ibrox boss.

Instead, nan rivals played retired a frantic brushwood pinch adjacent to nary attacking quality.

Here, BBC Scotland crunches nan numbers down nan first goalless Old Firm gathering successful 8 years and looks astatine a imaginable roadworthy to betterment for Martin's Rangers.

Rangers (0.15) and Celtic (0.17) ended Sunday's derby pinch a mixed expected goals standing of 0.32. In short, that is bad. Very bad.

In fact, it is nan lowest full accumulated successful a Premiership crippled since nan xG stat became a point successful nan 2019-20 season.

Essentially, that intends nan value of chances some sides created amounted to very, very little.

Rangers had nary shots connected target - nan first clip they had grounded to do truthful successful a convention crippled since an Old Firm derby successful January 2021.

Meanwhile, Celtic had conscionable two. At nan half-time whistle, Rodgers' broadside had not moreover attempted an effort - a first for them successful a convention lucifer since November 2017.

That besides intends they are nan only Premiership squad to neglect to registry a first-half extremity atttempt against Rangers this term.

Motherwell had two, Dundee had 3 and St Mirren had eight. Even third-tier Alloa Athletic had aggregate efforts successful nan first half of their League Cup conclusion astatine Ibrox earlier this month.

Rodgers' men had played extra-time and penalties successful their Champions League exit connected Tuesday earlier a 3,500-mile travel location from Kazakhstan, but that is still a sobering statistic for a Celtic broadside struggling astatine nan apical extremity of nan pitch.

Rangers, however, tin return comfortableness from that fixed they were a protect messiness successful their six-goal conclusion distant to Club Brugge connected Wednesday.

"I was really proud pinch nan response," Martin told BBC Scotland. "Especially nan guys who haven't played overmuch recently.

"We request to show that level of togetherness each nan time. We've sewage thing to build on."

Martin's side's only triumph successful their past 7 games is that League Cup last-16 triumph complete Alloa - and moreover successful that they conceded twice.

Their four-game winless commencement successful nan Premiership this play marks their worst preamble to a convention run since 1983.

Including their tie distant to Hibernian connected nan last time of past term, their existent five-game tally without a triumph successful nan convention is their worst successful nan Premiership era (since astatine slightest 2013-14).

But, contempt each of that, location are crumbs of optimism for Martin to feast connected complete nan people of nan upcoming world break.

Another conclusion would person turned Ibrox toxic connected Sunday and, pinch nan Rangers level successful attendance, it would person go progressively difficult for them to disregard nan instrumentality fury that would person inevitably followed.

Martin took a much organised and disciplined approach, which yet earned him a first Premiership cleanable sheet.

"I'm disappointed we didn't triumph because I felt we were bully for ample parts," nan Rangers leader added.

"But I'm really proud of nan players' level of fight, desire, aggression, each things we questioned wrong and extracurricular of nan building.

"That was a large attraction today, to really conflict and show immoderate togetherness and tone and aggression, and location was truthful overmuch of that.

"It's an important cleanable sheet, an important point. We're six points disconnected top, which is frustrating for us, but it gives america thing to hunt."

To get connected nan hunt, Martin will request to massively amended his commencement of conscionable 3 wins successful 11 games - and quickly.

The Ibrox leader faces a stern schedule, pinch back-to-back games against Heart of Midlothian and Hibs to travel earlier a Europa League opener pinch Genk, but Sunday's tie has alleviated immoderate mounting pressure.