Celtic 3-0 Rangers: Scottish Premiership - BBC Sport (2024)

Celtic reinforced the recent Old Firm derby pattern with a routine Scottish Premiership win against Rangers.

Coming in as strong favourites and on their own patch, the champions withstood Rangers' spiky start before reasserting their familiar dominance.

Daizen Maeda guided in a close-range finish from Alistair Johnston's cross, as Rangers were manipulated all too easily from a throw-in.

By that point Kyogo Furuhashi had already had a goal ruled out for offside against Nicolas Kuhn, but the Japanese striker would soon add to his bulging derby tally with a precise finish from the edge of the box.

Rangers were fortunate not to be further behind by half-time and started the second period with more urgency, but Cyriel Dessers tamely shot at Kasper Schmeichel when a clinical finish was needed to reignite the contest.

There were chances for both sides in a more low key second period, with Kyogo surprisingly finding the side-netting when played through, and Ross McCausland and John Souttar missing for Rangers.

But Callum McGregor ended the contest with a belting finish from the edge of the box to move his side five points clear of their great rivals with only four league games played.

So much of this Celtic performance was a carbon copy of their derby dominance in recent seasons.

The superiority in midfield, blitzing the Rangers full-backs, and another goal from a cutback in a furious first half.

McGregor, usually the orchestrator in chief, was more low key than usual before smashing in the third goal. But, beside him, Paulo Bernardo was everywhere as the Kyogo disallowed goal roused Celtic from an unusual early slumber.

Brendan Rodgers has talked about the quality of their pre-season work to allow them to be better without the ball this season, and that was in evidence yet again here.

They dominated the duels and hounded Rangers, living off their mistakes.

One such incident lead to the second goal as left-back Greg Taylor picked off an underhit ball into midfield before finding Kyogo, who calmly passed the ball beyond the despairing dive of Jack Butland.

All the signs are there that Celtic will be better than last season, both in terms of their evolution under Rodgers and squad depth, given the business done at the end of the window.

That is a terrifying prospect for Rangers and the rest of Scottish football.

If the familiar derby feel was comforting for Celtic, it is haunting for Rangers, who have won just one of the last 12 meetings.

And even that was a victory when the league was already lost.

After a purposeful start in which they harassed Celtic and occupied their centre-backs to allow space out wide, they folded after the disallowed goal.

The visitors' discipline disappeared, as did the midfield three of Connor Barron, Mohamed Diomande and Dujon Sterling.

James Tavernier was again guilty of switching off at the back post as he lost another round of his ongoing bout with Maeda.

It wasn't as if Rangers didn't have their moments. But as has been the case for an age, they couldn't take them when they did arrive.

Philippe Clement has now failed to win his first five derbies, losing four - a record only matched by Rangers' first ever manager William Wilton.

The Belgian has emphasised the need for patience as he remoulds the squad with young players.

It is true he has been firefighting since walking in the door 10 months ago, but there is still no sign of a clear style and gameplan.

Rangers need to find one quickly or thin patience among some fans will disappear completely.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers tells BBC Scotland: "In a lot of attacking moments we were so exciting to watch.

"We didn't start the game great, but once we had the goal disallowed the confidence builds.

"Overall, attacking-wise very impressive but also keeping that defensive mentality to keep the clean sheet.

"It's so early, but I'm pleased with the mentality of the squad. The football and intensity and the speed has been so pleasing."

Rangers manager Philippe Clement tells BBC Scotland: "Losing 3-0 is very hard, but we didn't reward ourselves.

"We started as the best team with two clear chances. You need to take these moments if you want to win Old Firm games.

"We are a young team, only just together. We have a lot of things to work on. We knew that before the game already.

"In that way, it's positive there were good signs in the way we started, but there are also lots of details to work on."

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