Celtic diehard Alan Brazil reckons Rangers are now favourites for the Premiership title.
And the radio host admits he's braced for a derby roasting from Ally McCoist when the pair reunite on Thursday.
The Ibrox side have made a strong start to the campaign and lead their city rivals by six points at the league summit.
Brazil has long held the bragging rights over pal McCoist on talkSPORT but they've yet to go on-air together since Rangers ' victory at Parkhead.
“Ally’s not gloating yet but I think the time might come," Brazil told The Scottish Sun.
“I felt the game at Parkhead at New Year showed how much Rangers had improved — but then they fizzled out after the winter break.
“They are definitely better again this season. They are stronger and they’ll have grown in self-belief after putting Celtic to the sword last weekend.
“They must be favourites for the title now. And Steven (Gerrard) will be on their shoulders every step of the way to make sure they don’t slip up again.”
Brazil also confessed he expects Rangers to go further in the Europa League than his beloved Hoops.
But the 61-year-old hopes neither Neil Lennon nor Steven Gerrard are drawn against his old side Tottenham.
He added: “I’d love to see the Scottish sides go far this season. I think Rangers can go through again but I’m not so sure about Celtic.
“That said, I didn’t see Rangers making it to the final in Manchester or Celtic reaching Seville for that epic game against Jose Mourinho’s Porto.
“But another of my old clubs, Spurs, have got Harry Kane, Gareth Bale and Heung-min Son. Imagine what they’d do to the Old Firm defences? It’s not worth thinking about.
“I would like to see Rangers and Celtic get through to boost the coefficient even higher, and you just never know.
“It would be great if they could progress as far as possible. But at the moment I fancy Rangers more than Celtic.”
