How Rangers maintained their Old Firm dominance with Filip Helander winner against misfiring Celtic

Rangers reinforced their status as Premiership title favourites as they overcame both adversity and their oldest foes to secure a victory which kick-starts their previously spluttering campaign.

Filip Helander celebrates after scoring the only goal of the game for Rangers against Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

With manager Steven Gerrard forced to watch from the confines of his own living room, his team built on the dominance of the Old Firm fixture he established last season with a hard-earned but ultimately fully-merited success.

Filip Helander was a hero for Rangers at both ends of the pitch, the big Swede heading the game’s only goal midway through a dominant second half display and also providing several crucial contributions in defence.

Rangers are now unbeaten in their last seven games against Celtic, six of them in the league which is the first time they have enjoyed such a sequence since the turn of the century.

Rangers' man of the match Leon Balogun challenges Celtic debutant Josip Juranovic during Sunday's Old Firm clash at Ibrox. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

For new Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, his first experience of Old Firm combat might have been a very different story had Odsonne Edouard not missed a simple chance when his side were in the ascendancy before half-time.

If this is to be Edouard’s final appearance in a Celtic shirt before moving on in the next couple of days, it was an underwhelming way to say farewell.

Celtic lacked the kind of cutting edge they have been able to showcase against other teams in recent weeks. Whenever they did call Robby McCrorie into action, the young goalkeeper was more than up to his task as he kept a clean sheet on a league debut he will never forget.

On a day when both teams came into the contest with question marks over their defensive performances so far this season, the greatest intrigue in the respective team selections was in the full-back positions.

Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard's dismay is clear as he misses a first half chance against Rangers at Ibrox. (Photo by Rob Casey / SNS Group)

With Rangers captain James Tavernier among those self-isolating along with Gerrard after the return of positive Covid-19 tests in the Scottish champions’ camp, he was joined on the absentee list by his deputy at right-back, Nathan Patterson.

It looked like a real blow for the hosts and left Nigerian central defender Leon Balogun to face the challenge of stepping into a role where he had looked less than convincing on the occasions he was deployed there last season. But Balogun rose to the challenge magnificently with a near faultless display.

For Celtic, the injury sustained in Alkmaar on Thursday by Greg Taylor meant a debut at left-back for new signing Josip Juranovic. The Croatian international normally operates on the other flank but was immediately asked to show his versatility. He didn’t look entirely comfortable throughout.

The return of Kemar Roofe and Ryan Kent was a significant boost for Rangers in an attacking sense and they were at the heart of their most menacing moments in a game where they did not enjoy the dominance of possession they are accustomed to in most domestic assignments.

Roofe linked up with Borna Barisic to create the first opening inside two minutes for Alfredo Morelos whose shot flew a couple of feet over Joe Hart’s crossbar.

A loose pass from Ryan Christie presented Rangers with their next sight of goal, although they might have preferred referee Kevin Clancy to blow for a free-kick when Roofe was taken out of the play by Stephen Welsh rather than be given the advantage which saw Kent shoot well off target.

Although generally well policed by Balogun, there were still glimpses of the threat posed by Kyogo Furuhashi.

The Japanese forward curled a shot over after pouncing on a poor attempted clearance by Connor Goldson then created the best opportunity of the first half which Edouard inexplicably managed to pass up.

Having seconds earlier been beaten to a through ball by the outrushing McCrorie, the French striker was picked out on the edge of the six yard box by Furuhashi’s low cross. Even under some pressure from Goldson, it looked like a tap-in but Edouard got it all wrong to send the ball horribly wide.

It was Rangers who came closest to a breakthrough in a first half when neither goalkeeper had to make a save worthy of note.

Morelos held the ball up brilliantly before feeding it to Kent on the edge of the penalty area and the winger was unfortunate to see his curling shot hit the beaten Hart’s left hand post.

Rangers almost gifted Celtic the lead in first half stoppage time when slackness from Goldson allowed Edouard to burst into the penalty area but Helander came to his defensive partner’s rescue with a superbly timed challenge.

The home side were a much different proposition in the second half, pressing much higher up the pitch and throwing Celtic out of their stride. The greater intensity of Rangers’ work saw the visitors increasingly on the back foot and their resistance was broken in the 66th minute.

Barisic’s delivery hadn’t previously been of the highest standard but the Croatian pulled one out of the top drawer with a corner from the right which Helander met with a powerful header which Hart got a hand to but couldn’t keep out.

Celtic tried to respond quickly as McCrorie had to rush smartly off his line to deny Furuhashi. The 23-year-old ‘keeper saved the best for last, showing superb reactions to keep out another Furuhashi effort five minutes from time. It was the kind of save Allan McGregor would have been proud to have on his lengthy Old Firm showreel.

Rangers (4-3-3): McCrorie, Goldson, Goldson, Helander, Barisic; Aribo, Davis, Kamara; Roofe (Lundstram 74), Morelos (Sakala 84), Kent (Arfield 89). Subs not used: Wright, Hagi, Itten, Bacuna.

Celtic (4-2-3-1): Hart, Ralston, Welsh, Starfelt, Juranovic; McGregor, Turnbull (Soro 67); Abada (Montgomery 86), Christie; Furuhashi, Edouard (Rogic 67). Subs not used: Bain, Bitton, Ajeti, Urhoghide.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription.