Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
STEVEN KING
Davis rolls back the years with wonder strike as Gers put Old Firm rivals firmly in their place
SURELY there’s absolutely no debate now over who are the top dogs?
Steven Gerrard hasn’t just caught Celtic. He has motored past his misfiring rivals.
Steven Davis’s acrobatic overhead kick and Jonjoe Kenny’s own goal maintained their current dominance of Glasgow. It was yet another nightmare for Celtic. Now defeated four times in the last five games against their rivals, the tide has turned and it’ll need a managerial change to turn it back. New CEO Dominic Mckay starts his new job today and getting the right manager in place is a matter of great urgency. Two teams. One season. Encapsulated in 90 minutes.
It took less than 10 of them for Gerrard’s winners to keep their momentum rolling with the Davis opener. Rangers were grateful for Bobby Madden’s shrewd decision to play advantage after Welsh clattered Kent, who had spun superbly clear of Scott Brown to start making progress after Callum Mcgregor lost the ball.
Joe Aribo stepped in for a shot which was blocked into the air by Kristoffer Ajer. As the spinning ball dropped out of the sky, Davis’ technique was sublime as he defied his 36 years to crash a terrific overhead kick beyond Scott Bain. It was a brilliant finish.
Already dealt one pre-match blow with James Forrest being ruled out, Celtic had to respond to another. They had a first flurry after the opener but they failed to do anything with it. Edouard’s strike was beaten away by Mcgregor and Ryan Christie also dragged a shot wide. Hoops ace Mcgregor smashed a deflected drive just over the bar before a golden chance was missed by Welsh.
The defender somehow managed to knock the ball the wrong way just six yards out from David Turnbull’s delightful centre.
With Ajer’s rebound blocked and Christie having another one flicked just over, it was a sequence which produced nothing and the champions gave a lesson in being clinical to double their lead. Digeo Laxalt was picked ahead of Greg Taylor at left-back for Celtic.
It was a bad choice and the Uruguayan was destroyed by the
Nigerian’s blurring feet before a driven cross.
Kent got across
Kenny and forced his marker to flick past a startled Bain. Kennedy removed the toiling Laxalt for
Taylor for the restart and his team wasted a host of chances.
Turnbull’s strike within 20 seconds of the restart that Mcgregor saved was the first of plenty of openings with a glaring miss next from Edouard.
Mo Elyounoussi did superbly to produce a strike which Mcgregor managed to push into the air. Edouard just had to get the dropping ball on target, but he lashed over.
Elyounoussi’s heavy touch in a great position in the box allowed Mcgregor to smother before a finale which told the whole story. Madden awarded Celtic a penalty for Aribo’s push on sub Leigh Griffiths but the Frenchman lacked conviction from 12 yards.
Mcgregor launched himself to his right to save. Big opportunities not taken with an inability to keep the ball out are ingredients for a miserable mix which Celtic are having to gulp right now. Rangers, though, are just drinking in their success.
One team lacking conviction. The other doing all the right things to be winners. The country’s dominant force. And no debate.