Rangers did not just win the Old Firm. They imposed themselves.
This was the kind of snarling, structured performance many expected to see all season under Derek McInnes: organised without the ball, aggressive in the duels, and ruthless in how the front four went after Celtic.
At first glance, the teamsheet raised alarms. It looked like a 4-4-2, the sort of shape that usually gets swallowed whole in an Old Firm midfield. The fear was simple: Rangers would be outnumbered, outpassed, and eventually overrun.
McInnes had other ideas.
Shape-shifting Rangers seize control
What unfolded was anything but a flat 4-4-2. McInnes used James Penrice as the tactical hinge of the entire operation. Out of possession, Penrice tucked into central areas, bolstering the middle of the pitch and helping Rangers match Celtic’s numbers. When Rangers had the ball, he drifted wider, underlapping and overlapping Djeidi Gassama, constantly asking questions down that flank.
It was clever. It was brave. And it worked.
Behind them, a back three that looked built for a fight bullied Celtic’s forwards. They won their duels, dominated the box, and restricted Celtic to a single shot on target – the kind of tame effort Ivor Pandur could have casually thrown his hat on. The visitors never found rhythm, never found space, and never looked like they believed they could play through Rangers.
Olwethu Makhanya, in particular, carried himself like a Rolls-Royce defender. Composed on the ball, dominant in the air, aggressive in the challenge – he showed every attribute required to thrive in Scottish football. Early days, yes, but he already looks like a cornerstone.
Midfield authority and Neil’s statement display
The platform at the back allowed the midfield to set the tone.
Penrice, having already done the dirty, tactical work without the ball, backed it up with relentless energy and discipline. Alongside him, Nico Raskin reminded everyone why he is in the Belgium squad. He snapped into tackles, recycled possession with purpose, and kept Rangers moving in the right direction.
But the conductor was Dan Neil.
Neil dictated the tempo, taking control of the game in the way all good Old Firm midfielders must. He picked the right passes, calmed things when needed, and drove Rangers forward when Celtic looked vulnerable. His two goals did more than put gloss on the scoreline; they crowned a commanding, all-round performance that felt like a personal statement as much as a team one.
Wide threats that pinned Celtic back
Out wide, Gassama and Kim Min-su did not always deliver the perfect final ball, but that almost missed the point. Their direct running and constant willingness to attack forced Celtic’s full-backs onto the back foot. Instead of joining attacks, they spent most of the afternoon retreating, turning, and dealing with runners.
That territorial advantage mattered. It pushed the game into Celtic’s half and allowed Rangers to play with a level of control rarely seen in this fixture in recent seasons.
Up front, Kevin Kelsy might rue a good early chance that went begging, yet his overall display more than compensated. He battled, linked play, and worked intelligently alongside Ryan Naderi. One of the standout images of the afternoon was Kelsy repeatedly pinning Cameron Carter-Vickers, refusing to give him a moment’s peace. When his goal finally came, it was expertly taken – the finish of a forward who had earned his reward.
A marker laid down – but a bigger test to come
McInnes called the performance a reference point. He is right. This is the standard Rangers must now see as their baseline, not their peak.
Because the next challenge is even more demanding: going to Celtic on Sunday and doing it again.
The game will not look the same. Celtic at home is a different animal, a different tempo, a different kind of pressure. Rangers will not enjoy the same control by default. They will have to earn it all over again – in the duels, in the second balls, in the big moments.
What they cannot afford, even at this stage of the season, is to drift eight points behind. That margin would feel heavy, psychologically as much as mathematically. So this is not just another Old Firm; it is an early check on Rangers’ credibility as genuine contenders.
The good news for McInnes is that his players head into it with momentum and belief. Five domestic wins on the bounce, a cup semi-final on the horizon, and a statement Old Firm victory already banked. Given where Rangers were after Jablonec, they would have grabbed this position with both hands.
Now comes the real question: is this a one-off surge, or the moment Rangers truly turn their season into a title race?
