Rangers Dominate in Old Firm Victory

Rangers did not just win the Old Firm. They imposed themselves.

This was the kind of snarling, organised, front-foot display many expected to see from Derek McInnes’ side far earlier in the season: aggressive out of possession, brave with the ball, and ruthless when the big moments arrived.

At first glance, the team sheet raised eyebrows. It looked like a 4-4-2, the sort of shape that often gets swallowed up in the heat of an Old Firm midfield. On paper, it hinted at risk. On the pitch, it revealed a plan.

McInnes had no intention of being outnumbered in the centre. James Penrice became the key. Without the ball, he tucked infield, turning what looked like a flat four into a compact, combative unit in the middle of the park. Once Rangers regained possession, Penrice drifted wider, underlapping and overlapping Djeidi Gassama, stretching Celtic in ways they never really solved.

Behind them, the back three set the tone. They bullied Celtic’s forwards, dominated the duels and stripped the visitors of any real conviction in the final third. Celtic finished with just one shot on target, a tame effort that Ivor Pandur could almost have caught with one hand and a shrug.

Olwethu Makhanya stood out again. He glided through the game, reading danger early, stepping in with authority and using the ball with calm assurance. He looks every inch a Rolls-Royce defender, and crucially, one built for the rough edges of Scottish football as much as its rare moments of finesse.

In midfield, the energy never dropped. Penrice covered ground relentlessly and kept his discipline. Nico Raskin did the same, showing exactly why he has forced his way into the Belgium squad, snapping into tackles, recycling possession and driving Rangers forward at the right moments. Alongside them, Dan Neil ran the game. He dictated the tempo, took responsibility in tight areas and, when the chances came, finished like a seasoned attacking midfielder. Two goals, both taken with composure, crowned a performance that deserved every bit of praise.

Out wide, Gassama and Kim Min-su were a constant nuisance. They pinned Celtic’s full-backs deep, forcing them to think more about defending than attacking. The final ball was not always there, but their direct running and willingness to attack space meant Celtic spent long spells retreating rather than building.

Up front, Kevin Kelsy might reflect on the early chance he passed up, but his overall display more than compensated. He occupied defenders, linked play and, crucially, worked intelligently with Ryan Naderi. Time and again he pinned Cameron Carter-Vickers, using his body to create space and drag Celtic’s defensive line around. When his moment came, he took it with real quality, his finish as assured as his all-round centre-forward play.

McInnes called the performance a reference point, and he is right. This is the standard. The challenge now is to reproduce it, and quickly.

Because the next test is brutal: a trip to Celtic on Sunday. The game will be different. The dynamic will change. Celtic will respond. But the requirement for Rangers does not shift. They need another result. Even at this early stage, slipping eight points behind is a scenario they simply cannot entertain.

What Sunday’s display does offer is belief. Belief in the structure, in the game plan, in the individuals who delivered under pressure. Five domestic wins on the spin and a cup semi-final on the horizon would have felt a distant prospect not so long ago, especially in the aftermath of Jablonec.

Now, the picture looks very different. The direction of travel is finally upwards. The question is whether Rangers can turn this statement Old Firm win into the foundation of a season that truly goes somewhere.