Rangers Triumph Over Celtic in Dramatic 3-0 Old Firm Derby Victory
In a sensational Scottish Premiership encounter, Rangers delivered a dominant performance to claim a 3-0 win over Celtic in the latest Old Firm derby. The match, which took place on January 2, 2025, at Ibrox, saw Ianis Hagi, Robin Propper, and Danilo each find the back of the net, securing a memorable victory for the home side. This result was a huge statement from Rangers, as they closed the gap to 11 points behind Celtic in the league standings, while Celtic’s unbeaten run in the league came to an unexpected halt.
Rangers came into the match with a point to prove after a recent series of strong performances under manager Philippe Clement. They had already secured a hard-fought victory over Celtic in the League Cup Final earlier in the season, but this win at Ibrox was a more complete statement of intent. The team displayed excellent tactical discipline, pressing high and moving the ball quickly, exploiting Celtic's vulnerabilities and keeping their attacking players on the back foot.
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Celtic, on the other hand, were uncharacteristically poor on the day. Chris Sutton, a former Celtic player and pundit, didn’t hold back in his criticism of the team’s performance. He pointed out that only one player, Cameron Carter-Vickers, earned pass marks in the crushing defeat, while others, including key players like Reo Hatate, failed to make an impact. The team appeared flat and slow on the ball, with far too many careless errors, including poor passing and failure to react to pressure. Sutton expressed disbelief at how Celtic, typically so composed in the Old Firm derby, were outclassed in every aspect of the game.
Brendan Rodgers, the Celtic manager, was also under scrutiny for his tactical decisions. For the first time in his tenure, his substitutions had little to no effect on the match. In fact, some of the changes appeared to make matters worse, as Celtic continued to lose ground. His in-game decisions were questioned by sports journalist Graham Spiers, who noted that this was a rare instance where Rodgers seemed unable to turn the tide, a scenario that many Celtic fans never expected to see.
Despite the defeat, Celtic still hold an 11-point lead at the top of the table, and there’s no panic from Rodgers. He will be hoping that this loss doesn’t derail the team’s season, especially with their upcoming matches. For Rangers, this win boosts morale, but the challenge now will be to maintain that level of performance consistently across the remainder of the season, especially away from home.
For Celtic, it's back to the drawing board, as they lick their wounds and prepare for the challenges ahead. With the pressure mounting on both managers, the Old Firm rivalry remains as intense as ever, and this 3-0 victory for Rangers adds another chapter to this historic footballing saga.
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