SCOTT Brown went fishing at Celtic Park and caught himself a right pollock with his very first cast

Winding up Alfredo Morelos might just be the easiest task in football. All you need do is look at him the wrong way and the red mist comes down. Does it ever really lift?

The Colombian has been Rangers’ best player and biggest liability. His reaction to Celtic’s captain clipping his heels was violent, unnecessary and completely predictable. It’s why Brown poked the beast.

The 22-year-old entered the record books as the first player in European football history to be sent off five times in the same season – beating Sergio Ramos (obviously) and team-mate (less obviously) Ryan Kent –and that is a shocking statistic.

Yes, one of those was rescinded but, even then, he did kick Aberdeen’s Scott McKenna. The later ruling was that it wasn’t quite hard enough to merit a sending off.

Steven Gerrard walked into the Celtic media room, took his jacket off and then calmly and accurately filleted Morelos who let down his manager, team-mates and supporters. No defence was offered. How could there be?

A few minutes before the red card, Morelos was annoyed at not winning a free-kick, a nothing incident in any game. Brown could see he’d lost it, so had a wee nip as if to say: ‘Come on, do something daft.’

Morelos obliged by elbowing Brown when all he had to do was walk away. This was the action of a selfish and immature boy playing in a man’s game.

How does this talented if flawed footballer hope to compete in Spain or Italy? If he thinks Scottish players are cynical, wait to until he gets to Serie A.

Brown must have been planning this for weeks. Wait until the ball was elsewhere, preferably if things were going Celtic’s way, which they were as this was after Odsonne Edouard’s goal, and say or do something to see if this volatile character would react.

That Brown was caught laughing at Morelos as he walked off the pitch told the story. The plan had worked perfectly.

Gerrard is not above blame. His team looked good on paper but the three-man midfield was overrun in the first-half, a 45 minutes in which Celtic should have had the game won.

But when his best player is someone who goes looking for trouble, meaning he’s missed too many big games through suspension, which killed Rangers, the manager must surely get rid if a decent offer comes in.

In contrast, Odsonne Edouard’s focus was on running the Rangers defence ragged, which he did, rather react to pulls and kicks which strikers put up with from Sunday pub football to the Champions League.

The Frenchman has had a good if not great season; however, yesterday he scored a superb goal, set up the winner and kept it simple when it needed to be, which hasn’t always been the case.

Rangers will feel aggrieved they lost, and I understand that, but over the 95 minutes, Celtic had more chances but there wasn’t a lot in it.

Also Ryan Kent should have been sent off for an uppercut on Brown who was in the middle of everything.

Bobby Madden had a good afternoon but how he was he supposed to catch everything. That was Edouard or Kristoffer Ayer,and the veteran of this fixture delighted when the announcement was made.

By then, he was in front of the Rangers fans, milking the win for everything it was worth. There is a line in such situations, the Glasgow polis tell the players this beforehand, and Brown crossed it. He didn’t need to carry on at that area of the ground.

In saying that, what that Rangers team needs is a Scott Brown. Even the bluenoses who can’t stand him will admit that.

And the rammy at the end, which split into two groups at one point, could have been avoided. Ach, it was more daft than dangerous and anyone with half an interest when these two meet would be hypocritical to pretend that there isn’t a small part of them who doesn’t love it when a bit of madness breaks out.

It was a crazy afternoon and we haven’t had one of those for a while.

As for the actual football, both teams played well in stages.

It was exciting and intriguing, all three goals were top quality and the goal-saving tackle by the excellent Ajer in the final minute, which prevented Joe Worrall from a Rangers equaliser, was a brilliant piece of defending.

And despite its many, many faults, this is still a brilliant game.