Rangers produced one of their most impressive away performances in recent memory on Sunday, silencing Celtic Park with a 1-0 victory that has thrown the Scottish Premiership title race wide open.
Ryan Naderi was the match winner, finishing coolly to give the Ibrox side all three points and cut Celtic’s lead at the top of the table to just two points. It was exactly the kind of statement result that Rangers needed, and they delivered it on the biggest stage possible.
Derek McInnes was the architect of the win, setting his side up in a disciplined, compact shape that frustrated Celtic from the first whistle. It is becoming something of a habit for the Rangers manager, who has now got the better of Martin O’Neill in back to back derby encounters. Whatever McInnes is doing tactically in these fixtures, it is clearly working.
Celtic had the majority of possession throughout the ninety minutes but struggled to create anything of real quality against a Rangers backline that was organised and determined. O’Neill will be bitterly disappointed with how his side performed in the final third, where the cutting edge that has served them so well this season was almost entirely absent.
Naderi has been a player who has divided opinion since arriving at Rangers, but moments like this are exactly why the club brought him in. His finish was composed and well taken, and it came at a time in the match when Celtic were beginning to build some momentum. The timing of the goal was crucial, knocking the wind right out of the home side.
The atmosphere inside Celtic Park was electric before kick off, as it always is for an Old Firm fixture, but Rangers refused to be intimidated. Their defensive organisation was outstanding, and every player in a blue shirt put in a serious shift. That collective effort is a reflection of the work McInnes has done in getting this squad to buy into his methods.
For Celtic, this is now a title race rather than a procession. A two point lead is nothing at this stage of the season, and the pressure has shifted significantly onto O’Neill and his players. They will need to respond quickly, because Rangers now have the momentum and the belief that they can go all the way.
The result will also do wonders for confidence across the Rangers squad. Winning at Celtic Park is never easy, and doing it with a clean sheet in a game of this magnitude shows real character. McInnes has built something at Ibrox that is starting to look genuinely title worthy.
With the season entering its most critical phase, Sunday’s result means every game from here on in carries enormous weight. Celtic will feel the pressure of being chased, while Rangers will feed off the energy of knowing they are right back in the hunt.
Scottish football fans are in for a dramatic finish to the season, and this Old Firm win has made sure of that.