Celtic silence doubters and give Gerrard headaches
Celtic did not so much put one in the post for Rangers with this victory, they dumped a mailbag full of questions on the doorstep at Ibrox, where Steven Gerrard has much to contemplate as he attempts to devise effective replies.
Having prevailed in both league Old Firm derbies at home last season, Gerrard had raised expectations among the Rangers fans by reinforcing his squad over the summer while successfully negotiating eight games in the Europa League qualifiers.
Celtic, too, had booked a passage into the group stage of the Europa League and started the domestic campaign in swashbuckling style, but their improbable 4-3 home defeat by CFR Cluj in the Champions League qualifiers exposed Neil Lennon to vitriolic criticism from the Hoops support.
Yet, yesterday Rangers were, quite simply, out-thought and outfought and would have lost by more had it not been for goalkeeper Allan Mcgregor. Gerrard chose to start with Jermain Defoe rather than Alfredo Morelos in attack. Lennon and his players, though, refused to allow Rangers to impose themselves.
Celtic made the breakthrough from an error by Connor Goldson in the 32nd minute, when he tried to thread a pass through the greenand-white midfield cordon and played it straight to Mikey Johnston. Johnston’s return ball was judged perfectly to allow Odsonne Edouard to stride through the Rangers back line, draw Mcgregor from his line and shoot below the goalkeeper.
Three minutes into injury time Jonny Hayes added the second in a move he started and finished.
There was still time for a miserable afternoon for Rangers to deteriorate when Jordan Jones slammed into Moritz Bauer and was dismissed by Bobby Madden.
“The dressing room has been fantastic for me, but I’m part of why it went wrong today,” Gerrard said.
Of Jones’ late dismissal, Gerrard said: “He deserves his red card, his ban, and he’s got everything to do now to get back in my team.”
Lennon, meanwhile, addressed his detractors. “If you believed all the hype, we shouldn’t have turned up today. We’ve kept our counsel, we’ve stayed calm and we’ve put in a brilliant performance,” he said.
Rangers (4-3-3): Mcgregor; Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Flanagan; Davis, Jack, Kamara (Ojo h-t); Aribo (Jones 70), Defoe (Morelos 60), Arfield. Subs Foderingham (g), Helander, Barisic, King.
Booked Arfield. Sent off Jones.
Celtic (4-2-3-1): Forster; Elhamed, Jullien, Bitton (Bauer 65), Bolingoli; Brown, Mcgregor; Forrest (Ntcham 65), Christie, Johnston (Hayes 85); Edouard. Subs Gordon (g), Morgan, Bayo, Griffiths. Booked Hayes.
Referee Bobby Madden.