Celtic 0-1 Rangers was the second Old Firm result in seven days, and it went the same way as the first. Ryan Naderi scored in the 33rd minute at Celtic Park on Sunday, and that was enough. Rangers had won 3-0 in the League Cup quarter-final at Ibrox on 13 September. The first two Old Firm games of the Derek McInnes era have both gone to Rangers, and Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership is down to two points.
Key moments
The 13 September game needed Dan Neil twice and Kevin Kelsy once. This one needed only Naderi. Away supporters were barred, so only Celtic fans were inside the ground for it.
Celtic had the first two big moments. Auston Trusty had a goal ruled out for offside in the opening minutes, and Kieran Tierney hit the crossbar in the 30th minute.
Rangers scored three minutes later. Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo denied Min-Su Kim, and Naderi fired in on the rebound. Djeidi Gassama hit the post in the 36th minute. Ivor Pandur saved a Colby Donovan header.
In the second half, Olwethu Makhanya volleyed past Sinisalo in the 74th minute. The goal was disallowed for handball, so the margin stayed at one.
What the numbers say
The scoreline is narrow. The match data is not.
Opta Analyst has Celtic on five shots, one of them on target, worth a combined 0.71 expected goals. Rangers had 15 shots, eight on target. Opta’s report did not give a Rangers xG figure, so we do not estimate one. Rangers also hit the post and had a goal ruled out, so the margin could have been wider.
What it means for the table
Celtic are first on 18 points from seven games, with six wins and one defeat, and a goal difference of +10. Rangers are second on 16 points, with five wins, a draw and a defeat, and a goal difference of +4. Hearts are third on 13.
Opta says the defeat ended a 13-game league winning run for Celtic. It is their first league loss of the season. Rangers have won five league games in a row.
Across all competitions this is Celtic’s third defeat on the spin: 3-0 to Rangers on 13 September, 3-1 at home to Ferencvaros in the Europa League on 17 September, and now this. In those three games Celtic scored one goal and conceded seven.
Both clubs have conceded four league goals. The difference is at the other end: Celtic have scored 14, Rangers eight. That is why the goal difference gap is +10 against +4, even with only two points between them.
Seven games is early, and Celtic still lead by two points. Rangers are three clear of third-placed Hearts. For Celtic, the job is to hold first place with a first league defeat to explain. For Rangers, second place and five straight league wins make them the closest challengers.
Looking ahead
The international break comes next. Rangers host Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Saturday 10 October, kick-off 15:00. Celtic travel to Motherwell on Sunday 11 October, kick-off 12:00.
Celtic have the lead and the points. Rangers have the shots, the recent head-to-head and five straight league wins. Both managers now have the international break to think about that.
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