The outcome was precisely what was expected as Celtic and Rangers continued their tribal hostilities, and yet still the occasion was full of surprises. Weird. Ange Postecoglou’s men, in securing a 3-2 victory from a see-saw encounter not only confirmed themselves as champions in all but arithmetic fashion. In extending their lead at the top of the cinch Premiership to 12 points, they established the biggest gap they have enjoyed over their Ibrox adversaries since the pandemic struck three years ago. However, while the facts, the figures, and the finesse and finishing of Kyogo Furahashi – his double central to his team’s 16th straight league home victory, and 29th win in 31 domestic outings – put Celtic statistically on a different plane from Michael Beale’s men, there were genuine indications that the Englishman is moving his side closer to Postecoglou’s unstoppables.

Beale said afterwards he would be regarded as a “fool” for stating as much, as well as for going heavy in asserting that Scotland’s footballing capital has two good teams on the basis of what the pair served up in a party ambience created by the home-fans-only environment at Celtic Park. His first claim appeared to have more credence than the second because the ancient adversaries’ third league confrontation was essentially defined by which team exhibited fewest flaws. And in a carnival atmosphere, the Ibrox visitors were foiled because they produced clownshow defending just when it seemed they might be able to apply a custard pie to the faces of opponents backed by all and sundry to commandeer the spotlight.

Furuhashi’s classy opener midway through a first period followed opening exchanges wherein Celtic’s passing was slipshod and Rangers proved surprisingly assured in executing a high-pressing gameplan. A glorious 25-yard free-kick strike from James Tavernier on the interval meant the visitors began the second period with their tails up. Backline hari-kari meant it wasn’t so long before these were between their legs. Celtic’s decisive edge came from the fact that they had the wiles to show no mercy when Beale’s men ballsed-up big time.

Kyogo Furuhashi takes the acclaim of the Celtic support after netting his second of the game against Rangers.

It is an answers-on-a-postcard job to what Ben Davies thought he was doing in the 63rd minute when he hoiked a clearance up in the air and, as it dropped near the byline where Jota was lurking, nudged a header timidly against the Portuguese as opposed to knocking behind for a corner. His leave of the senses allowed the winger to poke the ball towards Furuhashi stationed at an angle to the right of the area that still looked wholly unforgiving for a shot. Yet, somehow the striker was able to steer into the far corner. The forward’s spatial awareness shows itself as a psychic gift at times. As was also true when a exquisite touch and precision cut-back from Matt O’Riley led to him pirouetting like a ballet dancer before beating Allan McGregor with a low drive the veteran did lay a hand on as the deadlock was broken in 26 minutes.

The Rangers keeper was only merely in the vicinity of the ball when it came to Davies’ backline partner John Souttar – a shock inclusion because of Connor Goldson missing out with a hip problem – making a complete hash of a passback. Wonky with weight and direction, Jota was able to nip in to exact full punishment, clipping past McGregor as the keeper stood stranded at the edge of his box.

That made it 3-1 with 19 minutes of normal time remaining and seemed a goal to be the cue for Rangers to fold. As they had in such invidious circumstances in two of their three previous visits to the east end of Glasgow. The Ibrox men seem to have shaken off such supine tendencies, though. And when Tavernier ghosted into the box to meet a delicious curling cross from Borna Barisic and head in for his 100th club goal in the 79th minutes, the contest twisted again as no-one watching live had imagined. All of those, of course, greeting the Rangers captain’s landmark strike with stony silence. As was his first of the afternoon, despite the artfulness in arcing a long-range free-kick into the net off the underside of Joe Hart’s crossbar.

Beale agonised that Alfredo Morelos passed up a clear opening in the final minutes – as did Celtic’s Alexandro Bernabei – but was more vexed by the Colombian being denied the opener after he side-footed in from a 20th minute Barisic corner. His joy was shortlived because referee Kevin Clancy deemed he had pushed Alistair Johnston. No clear and obvious error was shown up in this decision by a VAR check, Nick Walsh in charge of the technology. Equally, though, with no clear aggressor in the tussling between Morelos and Johnston, had Clancy allowed the goal it is unlikely VAR would have encouraged him to think better of his call.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou embraces Jota as he substituted off during the win against Rangers.

The Rangers manager cursed “fine margins”, as he called not being on the right side of this decision and in respect of a gripe – with no legitimacy or basis in the rules – over the ball scrapping Jota’s inside-his-body arm from Davies’ daft header in the build-up to Celtic’s second. With Nicolas Raskin giving some bite to Rangers midfield, before fading in the second period, and only Callum McGregor demonstrating authority in the home middle third – Aaron Mooy entirely off it on his injury return – the margins were certainly fine in this central area. But only in this department, ultimately.

As even Beale acknowledged, Celtic didn’t make the defensive errors of his side. And in Furuhashi they possess a plundering punisher for all occasions in the Scottish game who stands apart from any contemporaries. It is only a matter of months ago it was sneeringly being suggested he couldn’t do it on derby days. Five goals in the three such meetings across 2023 alone – with two straight doubles following his matchwinning contribution to the Viaplay Cup final triumph five weeks ago – demands that contention is placed in the past. Where it can reside with the 2022-23 title race that will now be replaced by a victorious canter to the finish line for Postecoglou and his team.

Celtic and Rangers serve up riproaring derby: clownshow defending, Kyogo Furuhashi, victorious canter to finish line