However, the midfielder concluded that the outcome – in maintaining the cinch Premiership champions’ nine-point advantage at the top of the cinch Premiership table – could be deemed ultimately acceptable.

“I think in the end it was good character again from the group to keep going even though things were against us,” McGregor said. “In terms of performance levels we weren’t quite at the races, but it’s important when things are going against you, you show mental strength. We get the one chance and Kyogo [Furuhashi] does really well to finish, so it was positive in the end considering the performance.

“We started really well and our solutions in the game were good, our touch, passing tempo, all the things we talk about. Then I think we just got carried away a little bit, stopped doing the things that were getting us success, and there was a little moment where they got a press up and that changes the momentum of the game. The crowd got involved and things started to spiral from there, but it’s important when that happens to regain your composure and go again. We didn’t quite do that, probably for the rest of the game. Rangers started the second half well and got the two goals. But I’ll go back to it, it was good character at the end to make sure we came away with a result.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor exchanges words with Rangers defender Borna Barisic.

“We wanted a result to come away with. Ideally we wanted to win, but in football it is important when you aren’t playing well you don’t lose. I think that’s always vital, so credit to the lads as well. Everybody knows what the league table says and they can come to their own conclusions about what is a must win [for Rangers] and what’s not. It keeps us where we were, in a good spot in the league, and we will just continue to work hard. The season is 38 games long, so we’ll just keep going until someone tells us to stop.”

Celtic captain Callum McGregor makes stark admission about performance against Rangers