Just when Rangers fans thought this season couldn’t get any worse, it did.
On Sunday, Philippe Clement’s side suffered a shocking Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Championship club Queen’s Park, a result BBC Sport’s Adam Binnie described as “one of the biggest upsets” in the competition’s 152-year history.
The Spiders scored with their only shot of the match, while Rangers were awarded a controversial penalty deep into stoppage time. However, James Tavernier’s spot-kick was saved by Calum Ferrie, triggering a wave of boos from the frustrated Ibrox crowd.
This historic win marked Queen’s Park’s first Scottish Cup victory over Rangers since 1882 and Rangers’ first defeat to lower-league opposition in the tournament since losing to Berwick Rangers in 1967. Remarkably, it was also the first time they had ever been eliminated from the competition by a lower-division side.
Following this humiliating exit, Clement’s position is under intense scrutiny, making Sunday’s match at Tynecastle crucial for his future.
Rangers’ ongoing struggles this season
As Ewan Murray of *The Guardian* noted, Clement was already under pressure before this shock defeat, but losing to Queen’s Park could prove devastating for his standing with the fans.
The Scottish Premiership title race has been out of Rangers’ reach for some time, with the team sitting 13 points behind runaway leaders Celtic. They are now on course for a sixth trophyless season in the last nine, having also lost to Celtic in December’s League Cup final on penalties.
Much of their league struggles stem from poor away form, with only four wins in 12 Premiership road games and just 16 goals scored—matching Dundee United’s tally and trailing Hearts by one. As a result, they have collected fewer away points than the Tangerines.
In contrast, Rangers have impressed in the Europa League, advancing directly to the round of 16. Clement called this a “massive achievement,” especially given that they faced four of the seven teams that finished above them in the group stage.
They will take on one of Twente, Bodø/Glimt, Anderlecht, or Fenerbahçe in the knockout rounds, with the first leg set for 6 March. According to Michael Grant of *The Times*, their European success is keeping Clement in the job “for now,” but elimination could seal his fate.
Can Rangers’ star player save Clement?
If anyone can help Clement turn things around, it’s Václav Černý. Since arriving on loan from Wolfsburg in July, he has been one of the Premiership’s standout performers, netting 13 goals and providing seven assists.
A look at the SPFL’s top goal contributors shows that only Celtic’s Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kühn have recorded more combined goals and assists than Černý this season. He is one of only three Rangers players to hit double figures in both categories, alongside Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igmane.
With his future on the line, Clement may need Černý to deliver once again if he hopes to remain in charge.
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