The giant tifo which the Celtic supporters unfurled in the North Curve at Parkhead before kick-off in their William Hill Premiership match against Rangers this afternoon urged Callum McGregor and his team mates to “fight it out until the end”.
The defending champions duly delivered a knockout blow to their city rivals’ slim hopes of lifting the Scottish title with a performance which strongly suggested that when the bell goes for the start of the final round next Saturday they will get up off their stool.
Danny Rohl’s team took the lead early on through Mikey Moore – but Martin O’Neill’s side battled back brilliantly and recorded the victory they desperately needed thanks to a Yang Hyun-jun goal and a Daizen Maeda double.
The second of the Japanese forward’s efforts – an acrobatic overhead kick which arched into the top corner – will live long in the memory of everyone who was fortunate enough to be there to witness it.
Celtic are still a point behind leaders Hearts in the table. But they improved their goal difference and if they can overcome Motherwell at Fir Park on Wednesday night and the Tynecastle men at home on the final day they will win their fifth consecutive Premiership against all the odds.
If they reproduce the spirited display they showed against Rangers that is not beyond the realms of possibility. Here are five talking points from Parkhead.
New look Rangers
Rohl rang the changes in the wake of his side’s second half capitulation against Hearts at Tynecastle on Monday night; Tuur Rommens, Connor Barron and Oliver Antman came in for Dujon Sterling, Nicolas Raskin and Andreas Skov Olsen.
None of those who missed out could have any complaints. But Barron had been involved in just four minutes of football, a late cameo in the 3-2 loss to Motherwell, in four weeks. The Scot had last started a match January. He only got in because Raskin had a "muscle injury".
Antman, too, had hardly been overplayed. The winger last kicked off a match against Queen’s Park in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup in February. Their manager needed them both to step up. Neither man did so. But few of those who donned a light blue jersey received pass marks.
McCowan error
The hosts, though, were fielding an unusual side too. Arne Engels partnered McGregor in central midfield, Luke McCowan was deployed wide on the right, and Benjamin Nygrren slotted into the pocket behind lone striker Maeda.
The experimental line-up did not function as O’Neill hoped that it would. In the ninth minute, McCowan gifted possession to Emmanuel Fernandez out wide. The centre half fed Youssef Chermiti ahead of him and the striker broke forward and had a shot blocked by Liam Scales. Moore nipped in buried the loose ball.
The opener was a reward for Rangers’ intense pressing in the opposition half. The strike momentarily silenced the ground. Apart, that is, from the pocket of 2,500 away fans who were shoehorned in between the Main Stand and the Lisbon Lions Stand at the other end of the park.
VAR call
Celtic responded well to falling behind. Maeda fired wide after being sent through on Jack Butland by Yang Hyu-jun. The South Korean wide man then levelled proceedings following the best attacking move of the match.
McCowan found Engels in the Rangers penalty box and the Belgian played a cutback onto the penalty spot. Yang made no mistake. Nygren was in an offside position in front of the goalkeeper when he connected and VAR officials John Beaton and Chris Graham had a long look at replays over at Clydesdale House. However, the strike was allowed to stand.
The man who initiated the slick passage of play would have been a relieved man when the decision was flashed up on the giant screens. He atoned for his earlier error. He was, though, replaced by Sebastian Tounekti at half-time.
He perhaps paid the price for failing to control the pass he received from Nygren when Celtic broke forward with numbers on the counter attack after the equaliser. It was a squandered opportunity.
Maeda the magician
Tounekti injected pace and guile into Celtic’s play in the final third. But it was Scales who produced the moment of magic which allowed them to edge ahead. The Irishman chipped over the defence to Kieran Tierney, the left-back eluded James Tavernier and squared to Maeda who got in front of Fernandez and found the bottom right corner with the deftest of touches.
But even better was to come four minutes later. Tounekti cut the ball back from the goal line and Barron attempted to clear to safety. But his sclaffed clearance fell to Maeda. The winger controlled it with his left foot and despatched a spectacular attempt beyond Butland.
It took the 28-year-old’s tally for the 2025/26 campaign to 14. He has now been on target six times in his last four appearances. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. If the player who cost just £1.5m back in 2022 moves on this summer he will be very difficult, if not impossible, to replace.
Rohl with it?
This was the third consecutive defeat that Rangers have suffered. They looked to be in good shape following their 6-3 victory over Falkirk away at Westfield last month. But they have been found badly wanting against Motherwell, Hearts and Celtic.
The players need to take a long hard look at themselves. Many of them are sure to be deemed surplus to requirements and offloaded in the close season. But is Rohl the right man to lead them forward? Few among the Ibrox club’s support have any faith left in the German after a costly hat-trick of reverses.
He threw on Thelo Aasgaard, Djeidi Gassama and Sterling when his side fell 3-1 behind. But his charges were outthought and outfought this afternoon. There are sure to be deafening calls for a change in the dugout.
Celtic played Roll With It by Oasis and Daddy Cool by Boney M - songs which Rangers fans have chanted this term to laud the former Sheffield Wednesday manager - on the public address system after referee Nick Walsh had blown his final whistle to add insult to injury.
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