THE manager who loses out in the Premiership title race between Celtic and Rangers will also lose their job next summer, according to former Celtic striker Chris Sutton.

Footballer turned pundit Sutton believes that there is huge pressure on both Neil Lennon and Steven Gerrard to deliver the league championship from their supporters, with Lennon expected to carry on the charge towards a record tenth title in a row, and Gerrard expected to end the dominance of the city rivals and his own club’s long wait for a major trophy.

That’s why he says there is more than the silverware on the line this season for both men, with the first trophy of the season – the Betfred Cup – laying down a huge marker for what is to come in the rest of the campaign.

“If I’m honest, the team that finishes second in the league, I don’t see their manager lasting next season,” Sutton said. “I think it’s that big.

“They are both managers with great passion and knowledge of the game, but with what’s at stake, this season is massive and that starts with the first trophy, even though the Betfred Cup isn’t as big as the league and what it means to both sets of supporters.

“The Betfred Cup is always such an important competition and this season even more on the basis that the Rangers fans feel they are getting somewhere under Steven Gerrard and there’s an expectation for them to win trophies from the support.

“You look at Celtic’s domination in recent years and their fans will expect the same again. There’s only team can win it and it will lay down a big marker.

“They still have to get past Hibs and Hearts who have stumbled this season, but they have both shown against the Old Firm this season they can perform and push them.

“The truth is I’m in Glasgow a lot and a lot of Rangers fans think their team have cracked it this season. If Celtic do win the first trophy, there will be doubts across the city.”

Sutton argues that Rangers could ‘implode’ if they do fail to win a trophy this season, having backed Gerrard heavily in the summer transfer window.

“Whatever people say about Gerrard - and the team is improving as he has been given the money and given the players - he didn’t win a trophy last season,” he said. “That’s not me giving him a kicking, it’s a fact.

“The longer that goes and if Celtic do win the first trophy, there will be a nervousness about Rangers. They couldn’t go down the stretch last season.

“If they don’t win something this season, the chances are they will implode because everything has been building so well.

“They were impressive in Europe. I know Porto are not what they were, but the way Rangers passed the ball against them, they showed they were a good team.

“But for Gerrard to come north and it’s a big deal with the profile of Scottish football and it has risen, but, ultimately, he needs to win something.

“That’s the pressure of managing Celtic and Rangers.”

*Catch all the action from Celtic v Hibs in the semi-final of the Betfred Cup live on Saturday from 17:30 on BT Sport 1.