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The rangers have now entered the territory of Devon Loch and Jean van de Velde. Steven Gerrard could deliberately aim for a 10-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership, which would be if Celtic win all three of their games in hand, but all available evidence suggests that even that would suffice. A collapse of the Rangers from here would be as epic as it was unlikely.
It’s no wonder Neil Lennon was dejected by the Old Firm outcome. Celtic were the best team for the first 60 minutes, and were dominant for the first 45 minutes, with Nir Bitton’s next red card giving the Rangers the boost they happily seized on. Confidence was visibly drained in visiting players when the Israeli center-back was fired for knocking down Alfredo Morelos. It seems odd to point to defining moments in this, a time when the Rangers had such an advantage anyway, but any lingering Celtic hopes headed for the tunnel with Bitton.
The lone goal of the game had an odd element that further intensified Lennon’s frustration. James Tavernier’s corner flew off the shoulder of Callum McGregor, one of Celtic’s best players, and into his own net. This was a game that Celtic couldn’t afford to lose and the Rangers didn’t particularly need to win; the result leaves Gerrard with one hand and four fingers on the league trophy.
“These games are about great moments,” said the Rangers manager. “Celtic have been very wrong in one and we have capitalized on it and won the game. You don’t always get what your performance deserves from this game. We know it more than most. So winning and not being at our best is a very positive thing for me. “
Critics of Lennon, of whom there are many, will say that Celtic were ultimately punished for waste in the first half. However, they also encountered an opponent inspired by Allan McGregor, the veteran Rangers goalkeeper. McGregor’s early save from Odsonne Edouard was impressive, his touch of a subsequent Leigh Griffiths effort at the overhanging post. This marked McGregor’s 401st appearance for the Rangers, less than a month before his 39th birthday.
“You’re talking about a club legend, a phenomenal goalkeeper,” Gerrard said. “It’s a shame he’s almost as old as I am, because I’d love for him to be my guardian for many, many more years.”
The Rangers’ problem during those early exchanges was the anonymity of their forwards. That improved slightly after the interval, during which Ianis Hagi replaced the injured Kemar Roofe, but Celtic seemed more likely to score before Bitton’s aberration. Lennon believes Bobby Madden showed his red card by mistake. Morelos had been chasing a pass from Tavernier when Bitton, it must be said unnecessarily, indulged in the kind of action more typical of a rugby game. The incident occurred 22 meters from the goal, outside the corner of the penalty area.
“Morelos could have fired, but it would have been from a very narrow angle,” Lennon said. “It’s not even in the box. I thought it was too fast to get the red out. He is poor Nir but it is not a red card and that changed the course of the game. We were in full control.
“I was happy with the team. We had plans for later in the game, but the red card changed that. I am bitterly disappointed. There were a lot of good things that came out of the game. I hate losing, especially games of this magnitude and I don’t think we deserve to lose today. “
Borna Barisic’s free kick, narrowly deflected, immediately preceded the corner that broke the deadlock. McGregor appeared fooled by Joe Aribo’s move, with the own goal an unfavorable way to score the midfielder’s Old Firm captaincy.
Lennon, of course, has no choice but to publicly swear that the battle will continue. “You have to keep going,” added the Irishman. “You can’t just say it’s over.” However, this Rangers team has conceded just five goals in 22 league games. As Celtic players and management boarded a charter flight to Dubai, where they will participate in a winter training camp, they must privately know that the race is almost full. The Rangers bear no resemblance to a team likely to drown on the home fastball.
