By Alistair Aird
There is no such thing as a meaningless Old Firm game, but it has been a wee while since one has had as much at stake as this one, 13 years to be precise.
The chiselled features of Jack Butland graced the front cover of Sunday’s matchday programme, and it was his predecessor as Rangers number one, Allan McGregor, that made the vital intervention the last time the Old Firm behemoths clashed at this juncture in the season when the title race was tight.
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On 24 April 2011, McGregor plunged to his left to parry away a penalty kick from Giorgios Samaras. The match ended 0-0 and Rangers ended up champions after blowing Kilmarnock away on the final day of the campaign. If the Greek striker had scored, the outcome would most likely have been different, and Rangers would now be chasing 55 rather than 56. One wondered if the Rangers custodian would once again play a pivotal role in this one.
If Butland was to keep a clean sheet, then he would be the first to do so since Robby McCrorie who shut out Celtic in a 3-0 win at Ibrox in May last year. Indeed, the current Rangers number two was the last Rangers goalkeeper to prevent Celtic scoring in an Old Firm league match before that too. That came in a 1-0 victory at Ibrox at the start of season 2021/22.
This was the 167th meeting between the sides in what was a home league fixture for Rangers. All but 11 of them were played on the hallowed turf that this joust was contested on. The Light Blues boasted a superior record – 81 wins to 42 – and there were many experts that felt the resurgent Rangers were favourites to extend that margin.
The starting XI entrusted to do so by Philippe Clement contained a couple of surprises. The versatile Dujon Sterling was deployed at left back, while Tom Lawrence took over the number 10 role from Todd Cantwell.
Although the Englishman has had his issues with the manager throughout the campaign, not many expected he would be left out. He had been in fine form of late, capped off with a superb assist for Cyriel Dessers’s goal against Hibernian last weekend. It was a gamble, and time would tell if it was a calculated one.
This would be the last of the home Old Firm fixtures where it would be exclusively home supporters. Opinion is split over the allocation of 5% of the capacity to fans of the opposition from season 2024/25, although there is no doubt that it adds an extra edge to the atmosphere. That being said, the decibel level inside Ibrox from about 11.45 was off the scale and when the teams emerged, hairs were standing to attention on the back of everyone’s necks and spines were tingling.
But after 24 seconds, Ibrox was silenced. Joe Hart thumped the ball forward, Tavernier hesitated, and Daizen Maeda charged down his clearance and the ball roared beyond Butland. It was a horrendous goal to lose – the worst possible start – and the umpteenth time in this fixture where an error from a Rangers full back has been at the heart of it.
To say Rangers were ragged in the opening quarter of an hour was an understatement. The goal had clearly spooked them and there was no cohesion or rhythm to their play which was error strewn.
After 20 minutes, the first yellow card was brandished when Kuhn was cautioned for tugging the jersey of Sterling. Although not in his natural position, the 24-year-old was the most impressive Ranger by far, which in itself summed up how the opening quarter of the game had gone for the home side.
After 24 minutes, Rangers won their first corner, and from it, they should have been level. Diomande picked out Goldson inside the six-yard box with an excellent delivery, but the Rangers number six somehow headed the ball over the bar. It was the proverbial sitter.
Play swung to the other end, and Butland pawed away a shot from Maeda before Hatate fired an effort wide. It was a let off for Rangers, but would they heed the warning and shake off half an hour of lethargy?
The immediate answer was no.
Tavernier was robbed by Maeda and when the cross came into the area, Butland had to stretch every sinew to divert a header by O’Riley away for a corner. From the delivery, there was a VAR check for possible handball, and there was an air of inevitability when John Beaton went to the screen. Celtic had the penalty we all knew they would get and O’Riley dinked the ball over Butland to double their lead.
Rangers were now looking at a mountain of Everest proportions to climb.
With three minutes to go to the interval, Rangers forced a corner, but before it could be taken, Souttar had to come to the side of the pitch with blood pouring from a head wound. In his absence, Tavernier’s curling delivery drew the first save of the match from Hart. He was called into action in stoppage time too, twice denying the ineffectual Silva.
The stats at half time were a damning indictment. Celtic had had 11 shots at goal, Rangers four. The home side had a pass completion of just 76% too.
Despite there being a justifiable call for a plethora of changes, Clement only made one alteration. Sima was pitched in on the right at the expense of Scott Wright. So often the scapegoat, Wright had every right to feel aggrieved as there were others in attacking roles like Lawrence and Silva that had played poorer in the opening 45.
After 51 minutes, VAR was called upon again. Silva was booked for simulation by John Beaton when he went down under a challenge from Alastair Johnston. But the referee was called to the screen and we then heard those three words we love to hear PENALTY TO RANGERS!
Could this be the turning point?
James Tavernier stepped up and smashed the ball into the top corner. It was redemption again for the captain who had been awful throughout the first half, but the captain once again illustrated that he more than plays his part. He will continue to divide opinion among the support, but he has a huge role to play in the run in.
Ibrox was rocking and rolling, and the roars reached the rafters again when Dessers tapped in what looked like the equaliser. Alas, VAR quickly ruled it out for a foul by Tom Lawrence in the build up.
Nevertheless, Rangers had the wind in their sails and their tails up. You felt this game could be turned on its head if the home side struck next. They perhaps should have when Lawrence was in a promising position but spooned his cross wide when there were options available.
Clement then shuffled the pack on 69 minutes. On came Cantwell and Matondo. Lawrence and Silva were withdrawn. The gamble to play Lawrence in the 10 role hadn’t paid off, so could a fired-up Cantwell provide the guile to get Rangers out of jail?
There was some anxiety and loose passing creeping back in, though. But Rangers were much more on the front foot than they had been in the opening half. The passivity of their play had given way to attacking intent. That endeavour deserved a reward.
After 76 minutes, Kieran Dowell was introduced in place of Diomande. Matondo then manoeuvred himself into a shooting position, but his effort was blocked.
It was frenetic at this stage, typical Old Firm fare. And with the VAR interventions, you knew there would be plenty of additional minutes too.
After 87 minutes, the comeback looked to be complete. Sterling, man of the match by a mile, played in Matondo and when his effort broke for Sima, he lashed it into the net with the aid of a deflection.
But the joy was short-lived. One of the golden rules in football is not to concede immediately after you have scored. Rangers did that, being undone by slack and lamentable defending again. There was a catalogue of errors before Adam Idah fired a shot through Butland. The goalkeeper may well look back and be of the opinion he should have done better.
The riotous celebrations that followed suggested that the visitors felt they had struck the defining blow in the title race. But this game – and indeed the title chase – wasn’t over yet. Clement had been encouraging Rabbi Matondo to come inside and have a go at goal. It had reaped a reward against Hibernian last weekend and the Welshman repeated the trick here, arcing a beautiful shot across Hart and into the far corner. It was a stunning goal.
Dessers, who had an excellent game in my opinion, fizzed a shot wide but a shrill blast of Beaton’s whistle brought a breathtaking game to a conclusion.
Had you offered any Rangers followers a point at half time, few would have refused. Many were lamenting the big game mentality of the team, but when it was called into question, the players came up with answers. This team simply wouldn’t have come back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits six months ago.
The transformation in the second 45 was incredible, and this band of brothers are still very much in this title fight. In fact, wins in Dundee and Dingwall will see them enter the post-split fixtures at the top of the table.
There is no doubt that Rangers will have to solve the defensive deficiencies ahead of the next Old Firm encounter at a partisan Parkhead. But they showed in this one that they are more than a match for Celtic, physically and mentally. Suggestions by Brendan Rodgers that his side were by far the better football side were wide of the mark too.
The race for the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership title continues to be an enthralling one. For Rangers, the sums are simple, seven wins or six wins and a draw at Parkhead will see this squad seal an unlikely title triumph. And do you know what, there is every possibility they will do just that too.