Pedro Caixinha refused to follow the Tommy Burns template for stopping 10 in a row.

But Graeme Murty has understood it and that is what has given hope to Rangers and their fans.

Ten long months ago this Sports View made it clear Caixinha had to do what Burns did when he stepped into the Celtic job just as Rangers had won six titles in a row.

At that stage in 1994, Celtic couldn’t even get above Aberdeen and Motherwell. Celtic fans wanted their club to catch Rangers but it couldn’t happen overnight. The chasm was too big in terms of finance and quality of player.

Pedro Caixinha failed at Rangers

Nevertheless, they still had more than the rest, which meant the gap between the Glasgow pair should never be more than 12 points at the end of any season if both are doing their jobs correctly.

Burns knew it and built it sensibly. He worked out that ensuring you took care of the rest would give yourself a shot at sinking the best.

By the time Rangers were making it eight in a row, they still controlled the Old Firm games. They didn’t lose to Celtic in four league meetings.

But because Burns had found the way to make his team better than the rest, Celtic still mounted a serious title challenge.

Tommy Burns is unveiled as Celtic manager

They won 24 out of 32 matches against the rest. They closed the gap by some way and finished just four points behind.

Walter Smith then led his team to nine courtesy of another amazing record against Celtic – four wins from four.

But again it was close because Celtic had a seven-points superior record against the rest.

Basically it meant that Celtic had slowly built to a point where even earning parity in the four Old Firm matches could win a title.

Burns’ groundwork allowed Wim Jansen to step in and stop 10, what Caixinha was warned to do but didn’t. He hadn’t managed to get above Aberdeen or Motherwell after 10 games never mind Celtic.

He only had time to lose one Old Firm game this season so the gap when he left should have been three points had he done his job and dealt with the rest. But it was actually eight and that’s why he was binned.

The reason Sunday is a proper title game is Murty has taken 39 points from the other 18 games since taking charge again in late October, at the same time as Rodgers has taken 37 points from 17 games outwith that second Rangers encounter.

It’s virtually like-for-like records and that’s why the clash at Ibrox now means something.

Form is one thing. Class is permanent and Celtic are still much better than Rangers right now and, if they perform at peak, they win.

Graeme Murty and Brendan Rodgers go head to head this weekend

Rodgers and his team have answered every major domestic question asked of them in the past year and a half and their response at Ibrox could easily be no different and typically emphatic.

But with a performance on the day, a bit of luck and maybe even the bounce of a ball, Murty’s team could also win and reduce the gap to three.

That would create a title race. A title race you can only have if both teams flex their muscles against the rest.

Burns showed how to do it as he chased Smith. Mark Warburton and Caixinha ignored it as they chased Rodgers.

Now Murty has followed the same path. And that is why he’s making a fight of it.

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