SO much for Mothering Sunday and the idea of spending the day pampering your nearest and dearest.

A quirk of the schedule meant football fans in the West of Scotland and beyond yesterday had to settle instead for the mother of all Glasgow grudge matches.

Some Celtic supporters swear blind that the Old Firm as a concept no longer exists but this was as authentic as any in the series.

Read more: Matthew Lindsay: Never mind Alfredo Morelos, Rangers missed their opportunity to catch Celtic​

The infamous roar which emanated from the Ibrox dressing room after last week’s Scottish Cup draw had nothing on the guttural war cry from the stands as the teams prepared to do battle pre-match.

It set the tone for what was a modern-day classic of the genre, complete with controversial sendings off, epic tussles and even Peter van Vossen-style misses.

Twelve months ago, Celtic recorded their heaviest ever win at this venue, a 5-1 triumph which Brendan Rodgers said this week would live for eternity. When it comes to delivering a blow to their opponents’ collective solar plexus, though, this one might just have trumped it.

Twice a goal down in the first half, Celtic then found themselves a man down with fully half an hour to play, Jozo Simunovic dismissed by Willie Collum with the score locked at 2-2 for a reckless elbow which caught Alfredo Morelos on the point of the nose.

In the process, the Bosnian became the first Celtic player to be dismissed on Old Firm duty since Cha Du Ri and Victor Wanyama here in early 2012 on the occasion of the last Rangers win over 90 minutes in this famous old fixture. Bolstered by a storming first half from their team, the Ibrox side and their followers sensed blood again, a win that would have breathed new life into the moribund Ladbrokes title race.

Read more: Tam McManus: Brendan Rodgers wins the tactical battle but Rangers are getting closer

But if Celtic sailed through that historic 5-1 win, victory yesterday came in outright defiance of a match where everything could quite easily have gone off the rails. Having had to show admirable resolve just to get back on terms through fine finishes from first Tom Rogic and then Moussa Dembele, shuffling to a 4-3-2 shape and introducing Odsonne Edouard from the bench made light of the man disadvantage. It gave Rangers a sudden fear of what was behind them, and it paid dividends as the 19-year-old Frenchman scored a winning goal which will live long in the memory, following a lightning Celtic counter attack.

Applause, not entirely undeserved, rang out for the efforts of the beaten team after the final whistle – something of a rarity when it comes to this game - but shell shock was the dominant emotion after spurning such a great chance to take Celtic’s scalp.

Whether or not it ever was feasible for the Ibrox side to wrest back the league title this season, it certainly isn’t now. Graeme Murty again had showed credentials to be the man who takes the club forward but this stumble against ten men ultimately was his first Old Firm defeat as Celtic landed a knockout blow in this title eliminator. Nine points clear with a game in hand, a seventh top flight championship for Celtic is only a matter of time for them. “Title Race? Know your Place,” said a banner kept in reserve throughout the match before being stealthily unfurled by the visiting fans when the whistle sounded.

Read more: Brendan Rodgers: Ibrox fightback by 10 man Celtic was my sweetest Rangers win - but we haven't lifted the title yet

All the ingredients for a classic were here and it didn’t disappoint. For one thing, the going was soft underfoot, most players slipping and sliding on the yielding surface at one point or other. And perhaps most importantly, for long stretches of this match, neither team’s defence appeared remotely capable, as the Glasgow vernacular would have it, of keeping weans out of a close.

To be fair to them, by the end, both had a decidedly makeshift look about them, with Celtic’s unit containing two players who started the season at Dundee. They were also down to their third goalkeeper, Scott Bain, after Dorus de Vries joined Craig Gordon on the injury list, but the young stopper’s debut was punctuated by some key saves and one particular miracle mistake from a close-range Alfredo Morelos chance. With Simunovic off, Jack Hendry came into an unfamiliar right back role, while Dedryck Boyata, pressed back into action after a groin injury, endured a torrid afternoon. His day began when being robbed by Josh Windass on half way, the Englishman using his pace to drive on and steer in a fine high finish. The soft centre of the Parkhead backline was also to blame when Daniel Candeias struck the home side’s second.

Rangers defenders were dropping like flies too, Russell Martin calling off with a back problem then the luckless David Bates leaving with a knee issue attempting to stop Rogic steer in Celtic’s first equaliser. Auxiliaries Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso were beaten far too easily by one hopeful Scott Brown pass as Moussa Dembele lobbed in a pivotal second equaliser in first half injury time. While Celtic played the more composed football, Rangers could have won this match and certainly shouldn’t have lost it. It was bad enough for their fans when Alfredo Morelos - complete with his new deal - spurned one clear run on Bain. But the Colombian will still be cursing about how he contrived to stab the ball off the post from four yards with the goal gaping after a low Josh Windass shot. It was the mother of all misses.