JUST CHAMPION | CELTIC BEAT RANGERS AT IBROX

The 28th Glasgow Derby since 2012 seen Celtic hand Rangers another taste of defeat in front of their own fans this afternoon. The Bhoys won 2-1 to secure back to back wins and extend their lead over their bitter rivals to six points with just half a dozen games left to go. 

The league winners this year of course going straight into the group stages of the Champions League proper, with all the advertising and match money that that entails. 

With the closest Premiership race in recent memory nearing its conclusion, one couldn’t expect anything less than a blistering start between the pair. It was the home side who drew first blood in the 3rd minute via Aaron Ramsey’s semi composed finish on his Glasgow derby debut, but this only really served to see Celtic come to life with the Wizard of Oz, Tommy Rogic stroking home an equaliser within minutes. As if to signal that a goal against this mob was no bigger a deal than one against, oh I don't know, Hearts or something, the celebrations were pretty low key, with the Celtic maestro's teammates opting to give the goalscorer a pat on the back before getting on with the match. 

As the team with the best away record in the division this season, Celtic built momentum after the equaliser, but encountered a snide Rangers defence keen on trying to hang onto what they had. A not unusual trait. But that stinginess was undone in the last few minutes of the first half. Celtic capitalised on a Rangers blunder from a set-piece, as Cameron Carter-Vickers slammed in his fourth goal for the club with a finish a centre forward would have been proud of. If the first goal celebration was muted, the second wasn't. Though that was probably in large part due to the fact that it was a guy who rarely scores goals who bagged what turned out to be the winning goal. Big CC was over the moon with his goal, and rightly so!

The Huns emerged fresh after the restart, but overcoming Postecoglou’s rejuvenated Celtic side was always going to be a tall order. A couple of substitutions were made by both sides around the hour mark aimed at tilting the match in their favour, but Celtic’s calm demeanour at the back thwarted Rangers all afternoon, even after they attempted to out Celtic Celtic by throwing the proverbial kitchen sink, the Bhoys rarely looked ruffled and showed just why they have the best defensive record in the league. 

The game started to get a bit heated, with tempers fraying and the odd late challenge starting to fly. Ryan Jack, Rangers' big teuchter in midfield, tried to impress Glasgow's equivalent of Donald Trump's Proud Boys in the Copeland Road end by leaning on the face of a grounded Giorgios Giakoumakis as he tried to get up off the deck. He knew he was taking a bit of a liberty and must have expected a stronger response from Giakoumakis but the big Greek striker just laughed as super adjudicator Willie Collum raced in, seizing the opportunity to puff out his pigeon chest and let everybody know he was the man. 

Rangers huffed and puffed in the last quarter of an hour, with their best chance coming from Fashion Sakala’s left-footed low drive, but big Joe Hart barely broke a sweat when sticking out one of those safe hands to quieten the roars of the seething mass of rabid bacteria in the Ibrox stands. 

Despite all the effort to try and draw level with the league leaders, Rangers can count themselves lucky for not conceding at least another three, after a couple of opportunities from Abada and one from Ralston were expertly blocked by Rangers keeper Allan McGregor. 

No one doubts the ability of the antique goalie and he had about 4 or 5 top class saves all in to keep the scoreline respectable for his side. Mad Shagger, as he's affectionately known among the Rangers support, will no doubt be in for a hip replacement before the season's by. This latest defeat condemns Rangers to their second loss in five matches and sees Celtic's back to back wins in this fixture extend their unbeaten run to 32 domestic matches (W28, D4), the Bhoys are now red hot favourites to land a domestic treble in new gaffer Ange Postecoglou's first season at the club. 

Oh well, normal service is set to resume. Roll on the banter and enjoy the rest of your night guys, I know I will. Hail Hail! 🍀