Brendan Rodgers gets it all wrong as Rangers win derby
Celtic suffered their first defeat to Rangers under Brendan Rodgers as the Ibrox side ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a first-half Ryan Jack goal.
Rangers dominated the game from kick off until the final whistle as Celtic failed to muster a fight back, deservedly taking all three points and with it going level on points with Celtic – who remain league leaders.
Gerrard’s game plan was self-evident from the start as his side pressed Celtic high up the pitch never letting them a minute’s piece on the ball.
But despite creating a number of opportunities early on, they failed to trouble Allan McGregor who was a spectator throughout the game.
After Forrest and Christie coming close for Celtic, Rangers grabbed the game by the horns and drove at Celtic forcing Craig Gordon into a number of superb saves. Firstly, denying Connor Goldson from close range and then another from a Rangers corner.
But Gordon, who was Celtic’s best player [and that is saying something!] throughout the game, could do nothing to stop Ryan Jack opening the scoring for Rangers. Ryan Kent, who had the beating of Mikael Lustig throughout the first 45 minutes, cut back on the byline leaving the Swede to slide out of play and open up space for him to play the ball to Jack who coolly slotted the ball off Scott Brown’s leg and past the helpless Craig Gordon in goal.
Celtic really should have been 2-0 down at half-time after a hospital pass to Dedryck Boyata from Gordon saw the Belgian international dispossessed 25 yards from goal by Ryan Kent – who really should have scored but for the Celtic stopper making amends making an excellent save.
Just before half-time, Celtic were dealt a blow when Filip Benkovic went off injured and Kristoffer Ajer came on in his place.
Rodgers replaced the bomb scare Mikael Lustig with Anthony Ralston, who did a better job at curtailing the threat of Ryan Kent down the flank than the Swede had done – albeit not effectively enough.
On 60 minutes, Odsonne Edouard replaced the ineffective Mikey Johnston up front with James Forrest moving over to the left flank away from the marshalling tactics of Andy Halliday.
Celtic did manage to pull a goal back through Callum McGregor, playing as a make-shift left back in place of Kieran Tierney, but he was ruled marginally offside.
Gordon was once again called into action as he was equal to a Morelos turn and shot from inside the Celtic box.
As the final whistle fast approached, Celtic pressed forward looking for an equaliser but their play amounted to hee-haw when they got into the final third.
Edouard, who had changed the game when he came on against Aberdeen on Boxing Day, had the best chance for Celtic in the second half as he carried the ball into the Rangers box before cutting it back across the six-yard box falling to Ntcham, but the Frenchman’s shot was well blocked and cleared from danger.
As the final whistle sounded, Rangers got their new year festivities started early while Celtic will be nursing more than one hangover from today’s game.
Drastic changes need to make at Celtic Park with a number of the key players over the past few seasons looking a shadow of their former selves, while fringe players need to be punted out the door so that Celtic can bring in quality replacements.
The result will force Peter Lawwell and the board’s hand in providing more cash for Rodgers in the January transfer window, but one thing is clear Rangers are not going away any time soon in their challenge for the title.
CELTIC: Gordon, Lustig (Ralston 45), Boyata, Benkovic (Ajer 45+1), McGregor; Brown, Ntcham, Christie, Forrest, Sinclair; Johnston (Edouard 60)
Subs: Bain, Tierney, Hayes, Morgan
RANGERS: McGregor: Tavernier, Coldson, Worrall, Halliday; Jack, McCrorie, Arfield, Kent, Candeias (Coulibaly 70); Morelos
Subs: Foderingham, Katic, Wallace, Flanagan, Middleton, Lafferty