That’s all from me, but here’s Ewan Murray with an on-the-whistle take from a fantastic game. Thanks for reading along, and enjoy your Sundays.
Steven Gerrard says he will recommend to board that Morelos is fined with money to go to supporters who came here. "I've gone above and beyond for Alfredo."
— Ewan Murray (@mrewanmurray) March 31, 2019
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Some words from Scott Brown: “It’s always going to be a hard game, our rivals coming here. We had a few injuries but we soldiered on, our fans were fantastic. Rangers played well but we got the three points, which is all that matters.”
Brown also broke down his hat-trick of altercations:
Morelos: “You can’t do that in modern football, with all the cameras about.”
Kent: “I can’t even remember it.”
Halliday: “He came up to congratulate me” – delivered with a flicker of a smile that’s genuinely unsettling.
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A late, late red card!
Turns out Halliday earned a second yellow card, and the inevitable red, for that tussle with Scott Brown as he headed down the tunnel.
Elsewhere, Cardiff v Chelsea is go:
And in the WSL, Arsenal have just found the breakthrough against Birmingham to boost their title chances:
What a cracking game that was, ending 10 v 10 with Rangers going a goal and a man down, battling back unexpectedly to put Celtic on the ropes – and then conceding a late winner that has surely sent the title to Celtic Park. Here’s the table:
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic | 31 | 52 | 73 |
| 2 | Rangers | 31 | 43 | 60 |
| 3 | Kilmarnock | 31 | 16 | 54 |
| 4 | Aberdeen | 31 | 11 | 52 |
| 5 | Hearts | 31 | 1 | 50 |
Halliday is the third Rangers player to lose his cool with Brown today, with Morelos sent off in the first half and Ryan Kent surely set for a ban after escaping a red card. What a day for the big man.
Scott Brown is basically a deep-fried Sergio Ramos
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) March 31, 2019
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Scott Brown – who’d have thought? – is at the centre of things. His celebrations after the final whistle – in front of the visiting fans – have wound up Andy Halliday, who exchanges full and frank words with the Celtic captain. It fizzles out eventually, Gerrard getting his players down the tunnel as Celtic celebrate the win.
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Full time! Celtic 2-1 Rangers
After an absolute cracker of an Old Firm derby, Celtic have won – but it’s not quite over yet, with both sets of players involved in a scuffle down by the dugout...
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94 mins: Tavernier gets into space on the right side of the area, and has room for a shot – but opts to cross instead, and Ajer turns it behind. From the corner, Goldson throws himself at the ball, but Celtic clear...
93 mins: Worrall is basically playing up front now, and he gets up to head the ball back across goal – but nobody in blue can connect with it!
92 mins: Halliday is booked for a necessary foul on Edouard, who was threatening to race clear. Five added minutes, two of those have sped by already.
90 mins: Kent barrels into the area at speed and rifles a low cross that Bain can only push across goal. Joe Worrall is inches from toe-poking it home, but the ball eventually squirts wide of the post! From the corner, Bain claims to roars of relief.
89 mins: Ryan Kent is very lucky that Bobby Madden didn’t see him shove a hand in Scott Brown’s face off the ball here. Should’ve been a second red card, and another one for Brown’s scrapbook. Steven Davis is on for Rangers, replacing Arfield.
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Tavernier tries to cushion a pass back to Goldson but misjudges it horribly, and McGregor races onto the ball. He plays it into Edouard who shows great composure, holding up the ball until Forrest appears to the right and sliding a pass into his path. He takes a touch, finishes – and Celtic Park erupts!
GOAL! Celtic 2-1 Rangers (Forrest 85')
Celtic retake the lead, thanks to a mistake from the Rangers captain, Tavernier!
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84 mins: Toljan plays a slide-rule ball to Rogic, who tries to nick a corner with a crafty backheel. It doesn’t work.
82 mins: Celtic get it away, and Jermain Defoe is coming on for Candeias, who has worked tirelessly to turn this game around for Rangers.
81 mins: From Candeias’ cross, Halliday’s shot deflects off Toljan for a Rangers corner...
80 mins: Scott Brown collects his customary yellow card for a high tackle on Arfield. What’s known as A Big Ten Minutes coming up.
78 mins: Glen Kamara is on for Ryan Jack. 1-1, 10 men each – Gerrard would have very much taken this at half time.
76 mins: Goldson seems to be OK to continue, but Boyata won’t be returning – he’s pulled his hamstring.
75 mins: Callum McGregor’s free kick into the box is cleared by Alan McGregor, who clatters Goldson in the process. The defender stays down holding his head, and will need treatment.
74 mins: Nothing’s going Celtic’s way – Boyata looks like he’ll have to go off, and with three subs already on, they could be down to 10 men too.
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73 mins: What a chance for Rangers! With Boyata down, a cross from the right falls to Kent, who draws Bain out and cuts back to Ryan Jack. He has time to take a touch and pick his spot with two defenders back – but sends his first-time shot into the stands!
72 mins: Celtic look a bit punch drunk here, summed up by Ajer passing to Tierney, who is standing a yard behind the touchline. Toljan comes on, Tierney heads down the tunnel.
71 mins: Tierney has hobbled off the pitch, and looks like he’ll have to come off. Jeremy Toljan, on loan from Dortmund, is getting ready to come on.
70 mins: Halliday’s cross is cleared, but Arfield collects and fires a testing low ball across goal. Regrettably, there’s not a single Rangers player in the area.
69 mins: Goldson’s header back to McGregor almost drops short, but the keeper is able to collect ahead of Edouard.
68 mins: Tavernier, who has led by example for the visitors, tenaciously disrupts another Celtic attack and allows Arfield to clear.
66 mins: Kent’s goal came from Rangers’ first shot on target. Sinclair tries to get in behind the defence, but is caught offside.
65 mins: Edouard cuts inside and curls high and wide. Ntcham has gone off, replaced by Tom Rogic.
Celtic had risked this, growing increasingly ponderous in attack, but there didn’t seem much danger when Kent collected a pass from Tavernier – but he turned sharply, danced beyond Boyata and fires a low shot that flies into the corner off Scott Bain’s boot!
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GOAL! Celtic 1-1 Rangers (Kent 62')
The 10 men are level, thanks to a brilliant, clinical finish from Ryan Kent! Game on!
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62 mins: The latest Celtic attack breaks down as Ntcham and Tierney get their wires crossed.
60 mins: Forrest’s shot is deflected behind and from the corner, Boyata heads over the bar.
58 mins: Candeias and Tavernier link up well down the right, with the full-back then picking out Ryan Jack, whose control lets him down. Celtic will want a second to calm their nerves, though...
57 mins: Boyata is nearly caught out by Candeias, who prises the ball off him in midfield – but Ryan Kent can’t control it and the chance to counter fizzles out.
54 mins: Celtic are turning the heat up again, with Lustig firing a couple of feet wide of the far post from 25 yards out.
52 mins: Lovely one-two between Sinclair and McGregor, whose perfectly weighted pass puts Sinclair in on goal. His shot clips the inside of McGregor’s leg and fizzes inches wide – half the ground thought that had gone in.
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51 mins: Callum McGregor’s corner is whipped invitingly to the far post – unfortunately, everyone had run towards the near post.
49 mins: Gerrard is up and appealing for a penalty as Tavernier collides with Sinclair in the area – but there was nothing in it, and Bobby Madden isn’t interested.
47 mins: Rangers get their first corner, from which Celtic clear and break – but Forrest is flagged offside, much to Neil Lennon’s chagrin.
Peep!
The second half is under way. for Celtic, Scott Sinclair is on for Jonny Hayes.
As Paul O’Sullivan points out, it’s ironic that Morelos’ shirt sponsor – 32Red – proved to be prophetic.
“I agree that Gerrard can’t help his players passing to the opposition, but he picks the players and Morelos has a history of picking up ridiculous numbers of red cards,” says Adam Kline-Schoder.
“Playing him in this intense of a fixture was bound to backfire eventually. I know he’s probably Rangers’ best forward so how could you leave him out, but it’s not like that came completely out of the blue.”
Who’d be a football manager, eh?
Half time: Celtic 1-0 Rangers
Odsonne Edouard’s fine finish gives Celtic the lead, but the major talking point was Alfredo Morelos’ fifth red card of the season, for an elbow on Scott Brown. Celtic are in total control as a result. More soon.
47 mins: Another dangerous Tierney cross falls to Forrest, whose mishit effort almost lands at the feet of McGregor.
45 mins: The announcement that there will be three added minutes draws a roar from the home fans. Tierney’s cross is thunked away by Goldson.
44 mins: Rangers need to keep, or indeed find, their heads here. McCrorie clatters Boyata and is fortunate not to be booked.
43 mins: Candeias links up with Ryan Kent, who finds Jack – but he’s crowded out and as Celtic try to break away, Arfield drags McGregor back and is booked.
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41 mins: Tierney feeds a low ball to Edouard, who can’t get it under control as he looks to turn in the penalty area.
39 mins: From the replays, it’s pretty clear Brown was hoping to get a reaction from Morelos, sidling up behind him and giving him a nudge. I bet he didn’t think it would work first time.
37 mins: Celtic look to turn the screw, with Tierney opting to smash a shot across goal from left – and McGregor has to dive at full stretch to turn it behind! Rangers have to get to half-time just one down...
35 mins: Tavernier’s cross towards Kent is cleared away. I feel a bit sorry for Steven Gerrard here (let me finish) – he’s come here with a game plan but he can’t help his players passing the ball to their opponents, or doing something as monumentally stupid as what Morelos has just done.
33 mins: The commentator has just nominated Morelos as the most short-tempered player in Old Firm history. That’s quite a claim.
RED CARD! Morelos is sent off!
Alfredo Morelos is shown a straight red card, for throwing his elbow into Scott Brown’s face. It’s undeniably a red card, Morelos completely losing the run of himself, not for the first time. Rangers are right up against it now...
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30 mins: Ooh! Rangers nearly catch the hosts sleeping, Candeias pulling the ball back smartly across goal when the ball looked to have been out – but Celtic scramble it away...
29 mins: Edouard gets a booking for going overboard with the celebrations. A few Celtic fans spilled onto the pitch, but all seems to have calmed down again now.
From the free kick, Worrall is careless in possession again and Celtic break downfield, McGregor’s incisive through ball finding Edouard, who has support from Scott Brown. Edouard twists one way then the other, taking his time before lashing the ball past McGregor. What a finish!
GOAL! Celtic 1-0 Rangers (Edouard 27')
Celtic take the lead from a devastating counter, finished quite brilliantly by Odsonne Edouard!
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26 mins: Rangers clear and threaten to break away, before Hayes unceremoniously sends Kent to the turf in midfield. He’s booked by Bobby Madden.
25 mins: Rangers can’t really get out just now, with Morelos and McCrorie conceding free kicks in quick succession...
23 mins: Goldson again has to marshall Edouard away from goal – he’s keeping Rangers level at the minute – before Ross McCrorie gets back to clear, and then deals with the corner under pressure from Lustig.
22 mins: Eek, Joe Worrall gives the ball away cheaply and Celtic are onto the chance in a flash, with Edouard racing onto a through pass – but Goldson is back to pull off a clinical sliding tackle! From the corner, Hayes causes bother with three separate deliveries, but Rangers scramble away.
21 mins: Celtic corner which Hayes whips into the right area, but nobody in green and white can get a touch. Hayes throws his hands up in frustration.
19 mins: McGregor almost finds Edouard with a prod through the Rangers defence, while in midfield, Scott Brown and Scott Arfield tussle beefily off the ball.
18 mins: Celtic go down the left again, this time through Ajer’s long ball, which Goldson has to head clear. The hosts looking almost as lively as Rod Stewart’s footwear so far.
17 mins: Hayes gets beyond Tavernier down the left and fires in a low cross that Goldson, stretching out his boot, does well to turn clear of danger.
15 mins: Candeias concedes a free kick and Celtic work the ball from left to right, before Forrest find Ntcham on the edge of the box. He gets his shot on target, but it lacks the power to test McGregor.
14 mins: Rangers push forward, and Lustig has to drop in to head away Tavernier’s cross under pressure from Morelos.
12 mins: Tierney’s cross from the left takes a big deflection and loops towards McGregor, who again fails to gather, but gets both hands on it second time around.
11 mins: Rangers are set up to try and hit Celtic on the break, but Kent’s pass to Morelos is misjudged as they try and motor forward.
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10 mins: Celtic build from the back, before Edouard is upended by Goldson. Jonny Hayes lifts the free kick into the box, but Goldson makes amends with the header clear.
8 mins: A breather after that end-to-end start.
6 mins: Ajer has to get patched up and change his shirt and shorts before he’s allowed back on. In the meantime, Rangers have the chance to swing a deep cross in from a free kick, but Boyata deals with it.
“Manchester United vs Leicester or Celtic vs Hamilton?” asks Ben Oates, in reference to Chris Sutton.
4mins: The corner is cleared but Edouard has a go from 20 yards, and McGregor spills his shot! Rangers clear for a corner, which is whipped in towards Ajer – but the goalkeeper gathers. The defender has a cut on his head, and the physios are on to take a look.
3 mins: Celtic’s first chance – and they should have scored! Tierney cuts inside and his cross is flicked into the path of Olivier Ntcham. From point-blank range, he can only volley at McGregor!
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2 mins: Rangers hot-shot Alfredo Morelos – who is yet to score in an Old Firm game – thinks he’s in the clear from a long ball, but is flagged offside.
1 min: The two Ryans, Jack and Kent, combine early for Rangers, before Kent’s cross is turned away from danger.
Peep!
We’re off! The Celtic fans are making a right old racket.
Neil Lennon and Steven Gerrard exchange a handshake and a few friendly words. Speaking of words, Lennon has had a few on the Rangers manager in the last year:
May 2018 “First Rangers tried a guy from outside Scottish football in Pedro Caixinha, then a guy with no managerial experience, and now they’re looking to do that again. Any manager with decent experience could turn it round very, very quickly, because it couldn’t get any worse … We don’t know what Steven can do as a manager. But he adds a bit more glamour to it, I suppose.”
Aug 2018 “I don’t believe the hype [about Rangers under Gerrard]. There’s a lot of hysteria around big clubs, but when you sit down you think: ‘Mmm … mmm. Not so sure.’”
Dec 2018 “Yes I was surprised he took that job. Why surprised? Because it’s a very difficult job, a big job. But now he’s in there, it looks like he’s been there for a very long time. It took guts to do that: that quiet steel and self- belief he has is admirable, it’s a great quality. He has raised the bar.”
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I wonder if Brendan is watching?
Celtic v Rangers or Leicester v Bournemouth...
— Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73) March 31, 2019
Not long to go now, then. The sun is shining at Celtic Park, the weather a balmy 10 degrees. Let the summer begin...
Here’s the table as it stands. Celtic lead Rangers by 10 points, with eight games to go. Anything but an away win would surely leave Rangers too much to do to deny Celtic an eighth consecutive title.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic | 30 | 51 | 70 |
| 2 | Rangers | 30 | 44 | 60 |
| 3 | Kilmarnock | 31 | 16 | 54 |
| 4 | Aberdeen | 31 | 11 | 52 |
| 5 | Hearts | 31 | 1 | 50 |
Hearts’ win over Aberdeen on Sunday, coupled with Kilmarnock’s thrashing of Hamilton, means Killie are in the driving seat to finish third. Surely if Scotland are to jettison Alex McLeish, Steve Clarke should be top of their list?
Pre-game
Teams
Celtic: Bain, Lustig, Boyata, Ajer, Tierney, Ntcham, Brown, McGregor, Forrest, Edouard, Hayes.
Subs: Toljan, Simunovic, Sinclair, Rogic, De Vries, Burke, Weah.
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Worrall, Goldson, Halliday, Candeias, Arfield, Jack, McCrorie, Kent, Morelos.
Subs: Kamara, Defoe, Davis, Foderingham, Flanagan, Katic, Coulibaly.
Referee: Bobby Madden (Scotland)
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Preamble
When Rangers inflicted Brendan Rodgers’ first Old Firm defeat in the last days of 2018, a title race for the ages looked a real possibility. The 1-0 win put Rangers level with their rivals at the top, with Aberdeen and Kilmarnock within three points.
It didn’t last. A win today would put Celtic 13 points clear, one hand on the trophy and as good as two Cup wins away from the historic ‘treble treble’. Rodgers, of course, is no longer around but the slight wobble under Neil Lennon - a draw and two last-ditch winners in their last three - has gone unpunished by Steven Gerrard’s side, who have remained consistently inconsistent.
The stakes are not as high as we might have hoped back in December, but an Old Firm game - even at this eye-wateringly early hour - is always worth tuning in for. Kick-off is at 12pm, BST.
