Celtic are leading the charge at the top of the Scottish Premiership table followed by Aberdeen.
Before a ball was kicked this season, Kris Boyd would have told you that Rangers would be challenging Celtic for the title.
But the table states otherwise, with the champions sitting proudly at the top on 22 points from eight matches ahead of the Dons on goal difference, including six points in front of those from Ibrox.
Celtic and Aberdeen had recorded a 2-2 draw on Saturday at Parkhead, as the duo ended their own 100% starts by producing an enthralling, entertaining and action-packed game of football.
In fact, before Rangers’ defeat at Kilmarnock on Sunday, Boyd was pretty chirpy and wasn’t having the talk surrounding the Pittodrie-based club.
Rodgers has been complimentary towards Aberdeen, showing them the respect that they deserve and you sense that Boyd could learn a thing or two.
Kris Boyd doesn’t think Aberdeen can split Celtic and Rangers
The former Scotland striker probably made sense on only one thing when discussing the Celtic and Aberdeen game from the day before.
Boyd felt that the champions could and should have been 4-0 up by the half-time break, and in truth, if the scoreline read that, then the opposition would have had no complaints.
But Jimmy Thelin’s fearless Aberdeen side came out in the second half, against the best team in the land and at Parkhead by putting them under pressure like no one has done this season.
Despite that, Boyd was certain that there was no chance of Aberdeen splitting Celtic and Rangers, or challenging for the title, as he told Sky Sports Football (20/10/24 at 11:10 am).
You sense he would have been facing a bit of a reality check when Rangers suffered another defeat and are now closer to fifth-placed Motherwell than they are to the top two.
“I will answer them, no to all of them,” responded Boyd about whether Aberdeen can split Celtic and Rangers, as well as challenge for the title. “The fixtures have been kind to them. You still have to win the games. I totally get that.
Chris Sutton then asks how ‘the fixtures have been kind (to Aberdeen)’ and Boyd added: “You are playing Kilmarnock after Europe, St Mirren after Europe and Hearts after Europe. You still have to win the games. You have done that, so take nothing away from them. But that’s been the fixtures. They went to Dundee and won the game. Dundee were probably the better team. Hearts were probably the better team. Doesn’t matter. You still win the game of football. I think they deserve a lot of credit for coming back at Celtic Park because it would have been easy, and we have seen it before, teams just capitulate. Aberdeen have capitulated there as well.
“But if you look at that game, if it had finished 3-0 or 4-0 to Celtic after the first half performance. I don’t think we would have been sitting here having the same conversation – but I will say, they are carrying a lot of luck Aberdeen as well.”
What Kris Boyd said post-match after Rangers defeat to Kilmarnock as Celtic gap increases
He went on a bit of a rant at the manner in which his former side are playing, with the lack of intensity and sharpness annoying him.
Boyd felt that Phillipe Clements’s side could have pounced on that Celtic-Aberdeen draw, but he was hit with another dose of reality.
Celtic will now focus on Europe on Wednesday night, before a Sunday clash against Motherwell and then another midweek Premiership match.
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