Breathless. Just one of the many words that could have described what was a magnificent Old Firm Derby at Ibrox yesterday.

Rangers and Celtic went toe-to-toe right from the opening whistle and produced a game full of quality, drama and probably the worst miss you will ever see by the otherwise impressive Alfredo Morelos.

It was a terrific advert for Scottish football and not the usual blood and snotters that these games tend to produce. All of the goals in the game were wonderfully created and executed. But ultimately it was the men in green and white hoops who came out on top once again.

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

First and foremost, I have to say that Willie Collum and his linesman got the one big decision in the game absolutely spot on. The red card for Jozo Simunovic was a great call.

While I don’t think it’s intentional from the big defender, you cannot smash your elbow into another player’s face with a bent arm. He clearly caught Morelos and left the officials with little option but to pull out the red card.

That decision left Rangers sitting at 2-2 and playing against 10 men for the last half an hour. It was now so tantalisingly close. They will probably never get a better chance to beat their biggest rivals.

It was the perfect moment to blow the title race wide open for Rangers. But what happened next not only exposed the mentality that exists in both camps when it comes to these games, but it also showed exactly why Celtic went and paid top dollar to get Brendan Rodgers.

After the red card, Rodgers withdrew Tom Rogic and put Jack Hendry on at centre back which I think most watching the match would have called. It was a straightforward change. But it was his next substitution shortly after that which would have caught many by surprise, including myself.

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Odsonne Edouard came on to replace James Forrest. Celtic now had two strikers up front playing with 10 men. It was an incredibly positive substitution which ultimately won Celtic the game. Most managers in that situation would have put a midfielder on and clogged up the middle of the pitch, played one up top in Dembele in the hope of nicking a goal on the counter or a set play. Not Rodgers.

It was really interesting in his post match interview that he mentioned that Celtic had worked on playing 10 v 11 in training so they knew exactly how to play and how they would combat playing with a man less. That attention to detail and preparation is why he is a fantastic manager.

If Rodgers played a blinder with that substitution, I’m afraid that Graeme Murty missed a trick with his own tactical involvement in the game.

For me, as soon as Celtic went down to 10 men, I would have brought Jason Cummings on and played with the two strikers through the middle.

Read more: Mother of all misses from Morelos proves pivotal as ten-man Celtic edge Old Firm classic​

They had to win the game. Rangers got plenty of joy down both wings all day long through Candeias and Murphy, with lots of balls getting flashed across the box. Cummings only got the last 15 minutes and that in my opinion was 15 or 20 minutes too late. In saying that, you cannot legislate for your main striker missing an open goal from barely five yards out in the dying embers of the match.

Morelos actually had a superb match overall. He ran Dedryck Boyata, who endured a torrid afternoon, ragged particularly in the first half but that astonishing miss has ultimately cost his team a deserved share of the spoils. The little Colombian will have a sleepless night or two wondering just how he managed to miss that one.

The gap that looked so big just a year ago has now been closed considerably. I think that was clear to see on the day. That will at least be a slight crumb of comfort for the Rangers supporters.

They have watched their team finally get into a position to beat Celtic but, ultimately, they couldn’t finish the job.

They know they are getting closer to Celtic. They could almost touch it yesterday. But until they actually overcome their fiercest rivals, that gap will still exist in not only points but in mentality. To quote a well worn recent phrase, the natural order has still been maintained.