KRIS COMMONS: PARKHEAD WIN WAS LIKE SMITH ERA ALL OVER AGAIN
FOR the second time in the space of three weeks, Rangers went out and bossed an Old Firm match pretty much from start to finish.
They dominated the Betfred Cup final earlier this month but lost to an offside goal and an inability to take their chances.
Celtic weren’t at full strength that day at Hampden. They had Jonny Hayes at left-back and Lewis Morgan up front rather than Odsonne Edouard.
But that wasn’t the case yesterday. With the exception of Mikey Johnston, that was near enough Celtic’s strongest team.
If fit, Mohamed Elyounoussi would have started on the left rather than Johnston. But, other than that, there was no obvious weakness.
That’s what made the performance from Rangers so impressive. For a good few years, they were lambs to the slaughter any time they visited Celtic Park.
But not any longer. Beyond the victory and the three points, this was a display which spoke volumes about just how far they’ve come under Steven Gerrard.
To go away from home and dominate their rivals like that was something we haven’t seen since the Walter Smith days.
There was a swagger and an assurance to them. It always felt like they had a spare man in midfield but also enough width and pace to trouble Celtic.
A word also for Ryan Kent. He had a quiet game in the cup final but delivered yesterday and showed why Rangers forked out £7million for him.
Gerrard got his tactics wrong in the game at Ibrox earlier this season. But, credit where it’s due, he got it spot-on this time.
Although they didn’t have as many clear-cut chances as they did at Hampden, yesterday’s display from Rangers was actually more impressive than the one they produced in the final.
You have to remember this was fortress Parkhead. Celtic have been blowing teams away there all season and scoring goals for fun.
But their front four were quiet and subdued yesterday. James Tavernier had Johnston in his pocket, while Borna Barisic looks a player completely reborn.
The Croatian has gone from almost being out the door at Ibrox to now being the best left-back in the country.
Celtic have to hold their hands up and admit they have been outplayed over the two Old Firm games we’ve seen this month.
If any fans are naive enough to think this isn’t now a genuine title race, then they really need to wake up and stop kidding themselves.
It’s an attitude which comes from complacency and a stubbornness to admit that Rangers have vastly improved during the 18 months Gerrard has been in charge.
It’s that kind of complacency which Neil Lennon absolutely hates. He admitted yesterday that it’s game-on in the title race and he’ll be drumming that into his players.
Celtic need to spend in January and add more depth to the squad. Particularly up front, there’s an over-reliance on Edouard.
There are too many passengers just now who aren’t contributing. You simply cannot afford that in a title race as tight as this.
If the club doesn’t go and strengthen in January, then they’ll be playing with fire because I don’t see Rangers making a mess of things like they did 12 months ago.
After winning the Old Firm game prior to the break last year to go level on points with Celtic, they then conspired to lose at Kilmarnock in the first game back in January and never recovered.
But they are a far better team now than they were 12 months ago. Celtic can’t just sit back and hope Rangers slip up again and pray this is another false dawn.
Gerrard may not have won a trophy yet but he has broken the air of invincibility that surrounded Celtic in Old Firm matches prior to his arrival.
He has instilled a fearlessness in this Rangers team — and that’s why they’re now probably slight favourites to win the league after yesterday’s result.
What will be key now heading into the second half of the season is how Rangers deal with the pressure of sitting top of the league — should they win their game in hand.
It’s a totally different dynamic for both clubs: Rangers trying to lead from the front and Celtic trying to chase them down.
It would be uncharted territory for both clubs. For Rangers, the hunters would become the hunted.
The penalty save from Allan McGregor was obviously a game-changer yesterday.
It may have given some Celtic fans flashbacks of 2011 when he saved a vital penalty from Georgios Samaras at Ibrox. Rangers went on to edge the title that season.
But, beyond that, McGregor actually had a really quiet afternoon yesterday.
That should tell Celtic all they need to know. There was also the fact that their goal was a bit of a fluke and if VAR was available up here, it would have been ruled out.
On the basis of what we saw yesterday, there will be some Rangers fans thinking a league and Scottish Cup double could be on the cards.
Whether they can do it, only time will tell. But Gerrard’s wild celebrations at the end showed he feels anything is now possible.