Rangers 2 (Tavernier 2, Arfield 63)

Celtic 0

RANGERS completed their first Ibrox Old Firm clean sweep since 2011-12, courtesy of goals in either half from James Tavernier and Scott Arfield. There was no guard of honour from the hosts at the start – Scott Brown leading Celtic onto the field as defiantly as ever – and little respect shown to the champions on it as Steven Gerrard gained a measure of revenge upon Neil Lennon for a 2-1 defeat at Celtic Park in March. While there was nothing significant resting on the outcome, try telling their supporters that this was a meaningless Old Firm math.

We were barely 60 seconds in when Ryan Kent’s pressing won a loose ball and the Englishman was tripped by the retreating Mikey Johnston some 25 yards out on an angle at the left. Tavernier had the right idea; while his whipped free kick which was missed by everyone but the traffic did enough to defy Scott Bain, who couldn’t keep the ball out of his bottom corner. It was the full back’s 17th of the campaign.

With James Forrest a shock omission due to injury, and Johnny Hayes experiencing a torrid start to the match in relief of Kieran Tierney, Celtic’s two out-and-out strikers in Odsonne Edouard and Oliver Burke largely struggled for service.

Jermain Defoe, leading the line ahead of the available-again Alfredo Morelos, saw a shot saved by Bain then saw a penalty appeal rightly waved away by referee Kevin Clancy. Wes Foderingham, tending goal for Rangers in place of the suspended Allan McGregor, was hardly called into action.

Neil Lennon shuffled his pack in search of tactical answers – bringing Burke back to right midfield and pushing Tom Rogic through the middle off Edouard – and it helped stem the flow but the hosts were still comfortable enough. It was they who ended the half on the ascendancy, Arfield foiled by Bain then Goldson’s header flying narrowly over.

Celtic’s injury issues worsened as half time approached when Mikael Lustig crumbled to the turf – the Swede must already be rated doubtful for Hampden.

Referee Kevin Clancy had had a fairly quiet Old Firm debut but an elbow from Jon Flanagan on Scott Brown, which he deemed worthy of a booking but not a red card, was the first major flashpoint he had to deal with. There was no penalty either as he deemed the ball not to be in play.

The Ibrox side’s clinching second goal was a joy to behold. Glen Kamara started it by spinning cleverly away from Scott Brown, Defoe’s dummy unlocked the Celtic central defence and a gleeful Arfield tucked it into Bain’s bottom corner. Cue bedlam around this ground with a number of fans invading the pitch. Defoe forced a fine save from Bain then clipped the bar with the rebound, it was his parting act before being replaced from the bench by Morelos. The visitors’ only real chance of the day came and went when Oliver Burke’s low shot was too close to Foderingham after excellent work from Edouard.

There was the usual sectarian unpleasantness from the stands, including Neil Lennon being branded a “sad fenian b******”. Much will change in these respective squads before Celtic’s quest for nine in a row begins, but as football contests go this was as one-sided as the 1-0 win over Brendan Rodgers’ side in December. Celtic are worthy champions this season but twice at least this season Rangers might just have planted a seed of doubt in their minds.