Celtic 0 Rangers 1: Naderi strike narrows gap at top to two points as impressive Gers hand Hoops another Old Firm defeat

IT’S not Ryan Naderi’s ankle that’s a mess.

It’s Martin O’Neill’s Celtic.

The Rangers striker hobbled into this derby clash after taking a sore one in last weekend’s Old Firm cup clash.

But Naderi’s first-half strike now has an entire football club wincing.

It was a five-point gap at the top of the table which the Premiership’s defending champions aimed to increase to eight.

But now it’s just two points separating these teams at the top of the table in yet another statement victory by and his Ibrox side.

They may not have had any of their supporters here to celebrate with them.

But they didn’t need them.

Rangers were outstanding to a man with a gutsy, hungry performance where they stood shoulder to shoulder for 90-odd minutes.

They were everything Celtic currently aren’t.

It’s worrying times for O’Neill and his backroom staff who have an almighty job on their hands getting this squad of players to click.

The 74 year-old may be a living legend for everything he’s won and achieved but that doesn’t make him immune to the scrutiny he will now come under.

Rangers have now won six games on the spin to completely transform their season since crashing out of Europe with the togetherness and unity in their dressing room there for all to see.

There was an almighty din when the teams came striding out before kick-off.

But the first-half’s biggest moment brought the sound of silence.

You could have heard a pin badge drop when Naderi hit the net to put Rangers one up after 33 minutes.

With no away fans inside Parkhead, the celebrations were muted as the 60,000 home support heaved a heavy sigh of frustration.

Their team had it coming.

Rangers were well worth their lead.

In fact, they were maybe a bit unlucky not to score more than once before the break.

They created more chances. Had better control. They were better in every area of the pitch.

An early booking for Rangers centre-back Manny Fernandez put him under pressure.

And there was a moment when he collided with Benjamin Nygren and was given the benefit of doubt by referee John Beaton.

That sparked angry scenes down on the touchline with McInnes and Celtic coach Mark Fotheringham booked for clashing.

It was a continuation of the argument the pair had during McInnes’ time at Hearts last season, when he later talked about the ‘inexperienced coach’ who he felt had too much to say for himself.

But the home supporters had a lot more to be up in arms about.

While Nico Raskin bossed the middle of the park, their midfield were miles off it.

O’Neill’s decision to start Luke McCowan was as baffling as his judgement call on picking Sebastian Tounekti at Ibrox.

The ex-Dundee man hasn’t started a game all season and here was starting the biggest derby of the season.

McCowan lasted until half-time when he was put out of his own misery and subbed.

O’Neill changed it by putting on Kasper Hogh in an admission that he’d once again got his line-up wrong.

McInnes named the same team that won last week’s Premier Sports Cup quarter final and just asked his men for the same performance. And got it.

Skipper Dan Neil didn’t score twice but he cemented his place in the hearts of the club’s supporters with another outstanding shift.

But his will to win was replicated all across the pitch.

Kim Minsu, Dujon Sterling and Olwethu Makhanya were immense.

Naderi should have scored a hat-trick by the time the game was over but his finish to make it 1-0 was clinical.

When everyone in green and white stood rooted to the spot inside the penalty box, he reacted to fire past Viljami Sinisalo.

It had to be better from Celtic after the break.

Their supporters booed their team up the tunnel and it was little wonder because they knew it would have been worse by that stage.

They’d seen Rangers pass up chances to turn the screw, including as moment when Djeidi Gassama hit the post to make it 2-0 which may have turned the stadium toxic even before the turnaround.

Rangers No1 Ivor Pandur hardly had a save to make.

Auston Trusty did beat him with one early volley but the flag quickly went up to signal Liam Scales had loitered into an off-side position.

And skimmed the crossbar with a blasted shot.

Other than that, there was next to nothing from O’Neill’s side in an attacking sense.

Rangers did need Pandur to make an outstanding save to keep out a header from Colby Donovan right after the restart.

But after that scare, they looked like being the team to score next.

They had to be more ruthless in front of goal, though.

While they were the better team, they never put the game to bed.

Naderi had a header he flashed wide with the striker almost setting up partner Kevin Kelsy with a tap-in.

Naderi then indadvertedly prevented from scoring an OG.

McInnes would have feared those missed opportunities coming back to haunt his team, that they’d live to regret them.

He was raging when Makhanya had a goal disallowed for handball but it was the right decision, picked up boy VAR Nick Walsh, after Beaton missed it.

But there was nothing for him to concern himself with.

Rangers saw the game out comfortably to earn three priceless points at the home of their biggest rivals.

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