Sutton and Boyd clash over Kyogo as Rangers hero reduced to fits of laughter over one Team of the Season snub
The Celtic and Rangers favourites, who are key pundits on Sky Sports, picked their best XI's of the campaign so far.
Chris Sutton and Kris Boyd have picked their Scottish Premiership Teams of the Season so far...and the pundits were at odds over two choices in particular.
The top flight is now officially in cold storage with the winter shutdown in operation and it is champions Celtic who lead the way. The Hoops are eight points clear of Rangers in second - who have played two games less - after Brendan Rodgers' men defeated Philippe Clement and Co at Parkhead on December 30 before following that up with a comfortable win on the road at St Mirren in Paisley. The Light Blues responded to their derby defeat to start 2024 on a high with a home triumph over Kilmarnock ahead of a huge second half of the campaign.
With the league now shut down for a couple of weeks, the Sky Sports punditry duo, who often offer strong opinions on the game and disagree on a number of key talking points, were at it again as Eilidh Barbour tasked them with both picking their own best XI of the season to this point. Boyd's decision to go with Lawrence Shankland and Bojan Miovski was met with disbelief from Sutton who argued Kyogo SHOULD have been in his selection after he including him in his own pool. Here is the full exchange:
Boyd: "I always think if you are at the Old Firm you should be the top goalscorer and Kyogo is not at this moment in time which is why I have went with Shankland and Miovski."
Sutton: "There is something about Kris and Kyogo."
Boyd: "There isn't anything."
Sutton: "There is. The reason he has to have Kyogo in is he is a big game player. In the decisive games."
Boyd: "You only play four of them. You only play four of them."
Sutton: "They are quite important."
Boyd: "They are very important."
Sutton: "In the decisive games who is the guy who has stepped up? Kyogo. Just because he has gone heavy on Lawrence Shankland he doesn't want to give Kyogo any credit, which is fine. I don't think Kyogo will lose any sleep over this."
Boyd: "Is this my team or your team? Are you trying to explain to everybody why I haven't put him in?"
Sutton: "People are thinking it anyway."
Boyd: "No they aren't."
Asked if Kyogo was in his team by host Barbour, Sutton replied: "He is captain and I am going to give him a new contract." Chat then turned to the defenders with the duo disputing Boyd's decision to leave out Cameron Carter-Vickers.
Both pundits agreed he is the best defender in the country, but the former Ibrox striker explained his reasons behind the omission in his team before he then went back at Sutton with a Connor Goldson debate after he picked Hearts' Frankie Kent. That is despite Boydy NOT picking the Rangers man himself with Lewis Mayo and Liam Scales his preferred duo at this stage of the campaign.
Sutton: "There is a good debate over the centre-halves. Liam Scales of course, stepped up when he got the opportunity but I can't ever leave Cameron Carter-Vickers out of my team. He is always going to be in my team."
Boyd: "He's the best defender in Scotland but my point is he was injured at the start of the season. He is injured at this point in time. Lewis Mayo has played more or less every game and Kilmarnock have been excellent. If I had to pick my best team overall Cameron Carter-Vickers would be in it."
Sutton: "What is this game? What is this game we are playing here?"
Boyd: "You are asking who has been the best players in the first six months of the season. Cameron Carter-Vickers has been injured."
Sutton: "He has played and he has been good. The best in the country."
Asked for his defensive partner, Sutton added: "Alongside him okay. Rangers' defensive record has been excellent but I am going to go with Frankie Kent.
Boyd, in fits of laughter, responded: "So wait. Why is Connor Goldson not in it?"
Sutton continued: "I am just prioritising with Frankie Kent and his importance to Hearts. I think he has been massive for Hearts. But I take your point. Goldson and Balogun I can say 'well played guys, you have done well but I am just going to put Frankie Kent in ahead of you'."
Chris Sutton's Scottish Premiership best XI
Butland, Tavernier, Carter-Vickers, Kent, Cochrane, Palma, O'Riley, McGregor, Sima, Shankland, Kyogo.
Kris Boyd's Scottish Premiership best XI
Butland, Tavernier, Mayo, Scales, Beck, Palma, O'Riley, McGregor, Sima, Shankland, Mivoski.