Celtic increased their Premiership lead to eight points after goals from Paulo Bernardo and Kyogo Furuhashi handed Rangers manager Philippe Clement his first defeat.
Although Rangers still have two games in hand, the result restores Brendan Rodgers’ side’s title momentum after a shaky December.
Bernardo, a Portuguese under-21 international who joined from Benfica in the summer, appeared in the match for the first time.
Aside from scoring the opener for Celtic, the midfielder set up Kyogo for the exquisite left-foot strike that effectively secured the game after halftime.
Clement, who had gone 16 games undefeated since taking over for Michael Beale in October, was booked during a frantic first half and saw his team’s chances of launching a comeback thwarted by the red card issued to defender Leon Balogun.
Clement, who had gone 16 games undefeated since taking over for Michael Beale in October, was booked during a frantic first half and saw his team’s chances of launching a comeback thwarted by the red card issued to defender Leon Balogun.
Celtic’s Captain James Tavernier’s late free-kick equalized, but Rodgers’ side held on.
Both teams went into the game missing key players.
Rangers were missing a slew of injured players, led by attackers Kemar Roofe and Danilo, but Philippe Clement was aided by the presence of lynchpins Connor Goldson and John Lundstram.
Similarly, Celtic was without Cameron Carter-Vickers, widely regarded as his greatest defender. He did, however, welcome back two vital players to the substitute bench, Reo Hatate and Liel Abada.
Similarly, Celtic was without Cameron Carter-Vickers, widely regarded as his greatest defender. He did, however, welcome back two vital players to the substitute bench, Reo Hatate and Liel Abada.
The game began frantically, with the slippery weather hindering the game’s rhythm.
However, Celtic eventually gained control, with Bernardo at the helm.
The Portuguese headed wide from a tempting Luis Palma cross before blasting a first-time attempt from outside the area into the side net.
Greg Taylor’s patience paid off when he got a touch tight to Ross McCausland and forced the young winger to retreat before snatching the ball and setting up his colleague for the chance.
However, Celtic eventually gained control, with Bernardo at the helm.
The Portuguese headed wide from a tempting Luis Palma cross before blasting a first-time attempt from outside the area into the side net.
Greg Taylor’s patience paid off when he got a touch tight to Ross McCausland and forced the young winger to retreat before snatching the ball and setting up his colleague for the chance.
The goal came from a corner, although Palma’s delivery wasn’t very dangerous until Abdallah Sima failed to correctly perform the clearing header.
Bernardo rifled the ball powerfully past Jack Butland on the half-volley, thanks to his swerving intervention.
Bernardo rifled the ball powerfully past Jack Butland on the half-volley, thanks to his swerving intervention.
Celtic were settling into their lead when Alistair Johnston’s second sloppy moment (his first having resulted in a caution for clipping Sima) pushed Rodgers into a substitute and gave Rangers confidence to enter their best run of the game.
The Canadian did well to track back and clear up his own blunder by blocking the ponderous Cyriel Dessers’ march on Joe Hart’s goal.
Welsh, on the other hand, was injured when he tangled with Dessers in the opening encounter and had to be substituted while gripping his shoulder. Maik Nawrocki, a £4 million summer transfer from Legia Warsaw, was the preferred sub.
The pole was on fire until halftime as the Rangers attempted to turn the screw.
Welsh, on the other hand, was injured when he tangled with Dessers in the opening encounter and had to be substituted while gripping his shoulder. Maik Nawrocki, a £4 million summer transfer from Legia Warsaw, was the preferred sub.
The pole was on fire until halftime as the Rangers attempted to turn the screw.
Butland’s speculative ball over the top was not handled by Liam Scales, who had reason to be grateful for McCausland’s lack of initiative on his way through. Cantwell’s follow-up shot was good, but Joe Hart made a good save.
Clement was subsequently shown yellow for something he said following a scuffled throw-in, and McCausland had another shot saved by Hart before the break.
There was a brief pause for a VAR inspection as Johnston struggled to see the ball out under Sima’s scrutiny. The full-back appeared to have used his hand, but Nick Walsh signaled for a restart when Willie Collum advised him that Sima had started from an offside position.
There was a brief pause for a VAR inspection as Johnston struggled to see the ball out under Sima’s scrutiny. The full-back appeared to have used his hand, but Nick Walsh signaled for a restart when Willie Collum advised him that Sima had started from an offside position.
Rodgers took the halftime break to reflect and would have expected more from his front three.
Kyogo Furuhashi, who had been out of athletics for a while, rebounded after a few minutes by producing a first-rate finish with his weaker foot.
Bernardo set up Kyogo 20 yards away, and the Japanese striker utilized Goldson to shape his left-foot effort high into Butland’s top corner.
Clement attempted to spark a response from the bench, substituting Cantwell and Sima for Kieran Dowell and Scott Wright.
Kyogo Furuhashi, who had been out of athletics for a while, rebounded after a few minutes by producing a first-rate finish with his weaker foot.
Bernardo set up Kyogo 20 yards away, and the Japanese striker utilized Goldson to shape his left-foot effort high into Butland’s top corner.
Clement attempted to spark a response from the bench, substituting Cantwell and Sima for Kieran Dowell and Scott Wright.
