Summary

  • Celtic go top with first league derby win in seven

  • Hatate lashed in twice, before Abada nudged in third just before break

  • McGregor made four saves in first half hour to thwart rampant Celtic

  • Van Bronckhorst suffers first defeat in 14 games

Live Reporting

Colin Moffat

  1. Good night

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Celtic move one point clear at the top as their unbeaten league run stretches to 18 games, while Rangers lost for the first time under Giovanni van Bronckhorst and have taken just five points from four Premiership outings this year.

    You can watch how it panned out on Sportscene on BBC One Scotland at 23:05 GMT, with the programme streamed online too.

    Reo Hatate was the star of the show for Celtic, with two goals and an assistSNS

    Reo Hatate was the star of the show for Celtic, with two goals and an assist

  2. 'Massive rebuild in the blink of an eye'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Tom English
    BBC Scotland's chief sports writer at Celtic Park

    Been a while since Celtic Park rocked like it did tonight. Wonderful performance by Ange Postecoglou’s side. Nine of the starting 11 were signed by him. A massive rebuild done in the relative blink of an eye. Quite something.

  3. 'You don't stop when the referee doesn't whistle'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Some Rangers players were unhappy that play didn't stop after a collision between team-mates Calvin Bassey and Joe Aribo just before the first goal flew in but manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is not having it.

    "It's for the referee to stop the game, we still had the corner to defend," he tells Sky Sports. "You don't stop when the referee doesn't whistle. It was unbelievable to see."

  4. 'It seemed we weren't ready for it' - Van Bronckhorst

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst is not impressed by his side's first-half showing.

    "It seemed like it was the first Old Firm game we'd played," he tells Sky Sports. "It seemed like we weren't ready for it. You see the way we gave the goals away... Not going with your man, not ready for the battles. Our Old Firm game started in the second half, but the first half we gave the game away.

    "When the whistle blew, we were just waiting for the goal to be scored. We were too naive and we deserved to be down 3-0 with the way we played.

    "We're not the first Rangers team to lose. I lost very big here as a player, but we eventually became champions that year. Of course we wanted to win this game but these games don't decide the championship."

  5. 'Most special atmosphere I've ever been part of'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Celtic winger Matt O'Riley waxes lyrical to BBC Radio Scotland about the Old Firm atmosphere.

    "It’s so much more than anything I’ve experienced or seen," said the January addition. "I’ve been to Barcelona but there's no comparison, this is incredible.

    "Tonight was the most special atmosphere I’ve ever been a part of."

    O'Riley also praises the influence of fit-again captain Callum McGregor.

    "Callum is a big voice, been around for a long time and played at a high level for a long time," he added.

    "He picks the right things to say to really get us going. Not only him - we’ve got a lot of good characters, which shows on the pitch."

  6. FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Take a moment to digest the fact that Celtic were missing Kyogo, Rogic and Turnbull this evening...

    Rangers fans can take some crumbs of comfort from Ryan Jack's strong second-half showing as he returns to fitness and Alfredo Morelos will be back for the weekend.

    And then there's Aaron Ramsey. How quickly can the Juventus loanee get up to speed at Ibrox?

  7. 'Japanese joy for Celtic'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Pat Bonner
    Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

    Ange Postecoglou has brought four players in from Japan and at the right time, when he is establishing himself as Celtic manager. If he brought them in later on, you'd be questioning whether he was staying around. He's got three or four years to get these players up to tip-top shape with him as leader.

  8. 'Postecolgou deserves a lot of credit'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Kenny Miller
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

    Ange Postecoglou deserves a lot of credit. It's not just about the players he's signed, it's the work he's done to identify these players, making sure they are ready when they come, that the transition is as smooth as possible. A lot of questions were asked of him when he came to Scotland, and he has answered a lot of them.

  9. FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

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  10. 'We made fans forget their problems'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    On two-goal hero Reo Hatate, Ange Postecoglou says: "I'm hesitant to point out any individual tonight but he is a fantastic player and he's not fit enough yet.

    "That's four games he's played, he had a month of no football. He'll get better, stronger, but he's made of the right stuff in terms of mentality. Technically he is fantastic."

    And he has a word for the supporters, and the growth his side can still make: "We'll have a day off tomorrow, come in on Friday. That's the beauty of this group - they are going to want more and demand more of me and the staff so we can keep improving.

    "We’re upholding the values of this club not just in winning but in how we play our football. I want the fans to be proud of us. I don’t know how work will go tomorrow for most of them.

    "We had 60,000 in here. I’m sure a lot walked in with some problems in their lives and for this 95 minutes we made them forget that and feel good - and that's something special."

    Celtic cruised to victory over their Glasgow rivalsSNS

    Celtic cruised to victory over their Glasgow rivals

  11. 'We have to keep improving'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    More from Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, who is asked whether he dreamed about a performance this impressive last night.

    "You don't know what I dream about," is the response.

    "It's the kind of football team we want to be. It doesn't mean you disrespect or dismiss the opposition. We are still developing, but we want to take it to the opposition, and if we do that, we can take it to any opposition.

    "We've still got key players missing, very influential players. Some are just in the door. Reo Hatate and Matt O'Riley have played fewer than five games. Our target was not top spot, our target is to win things, and if we're going to win things, we have to keep improving."

  12. 'Our football was pretty special'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou tells BBC Radio Scotland he is "really proud" after that demolition derby.

    "Our first 45 mins were outstanding; three great goals," said the Australian.

    "Our football was pretty special and their keeper pulled off some great saves. Second-half, we had to defend a bit more but we've been a team that can do that. It shows another layer. We knew the consequences, what it meant to our supporters, and we stood up.

    "Considering the context of the game and the opposition, I thought our football was outstanding."

    Ange Postecoglou with goalscorer Liel AbadaSNS

    Ange Postecoglou with goalscorer Liel Abada

  13. 'Were Rangers so bad, or Celtic brilliant?'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Tom English
    BBC Scotland's chief sports writer on Sportsound

    Hang on, were Rangers so bad, or were Celtic brilliant? We talk about Barisic having a shocker, but how about this: if a boxer gets knocked out, do you say he's had a shocker, or do you praise the guy who put him there?

  14. 'Rangers pay price for negative mindset'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Kenny Miller
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

    You know what you're going to get from this Celtic team. You've had 25 games of evidence. Sometimes you can't get on top of them because they are just that good. Tonight, there is a big, big element of that. But Rangers came out with a little bit of a negative mindset - they sat off, allowed them to make easy passes, easy possession. You're not knocking them out of that rhythm at any point, and you're in for a hard night.

  15. 'Celtic ripped Rangers apart'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Pat Bonner
    Former Celtic goalkeeper on BBC Sportsound

    If you allow Celtic control of the ball and to play with really good technical players and intensity, you're going to have real problems. Rangers didn't know whether to press Celtic or sit back. Celtic used their exceptional positional play and then ripped Rangers apart. Rangers dominated possession in the second half, but I don't recall Joe Hart having much to do.

    Reo Hatate fires Celtic into a 2-0 leadSNS

    Reo Hatate fires Celtic into a 2-0 lead

  16. FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

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  17. What next?

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Both teams will be back at it on Sunday. Celtic go to Fir Park to take on Motherwell, while Rangers are at home to Hearts.

  18. 'Celtic deserved more goals'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Tom English
    BBC Scotland's chief sports writer on Sportsound

    Celtic deserved more goals based on the quality of the first-half performance. That was brilliant, exceptional. Second-half, they coasted it. Rangers couldn't even put one goal on them, never mind make a decent fist of a comeback. Ryan Jack was the morsel of comfort Rangers can take. Other than that, they're leaving here pretty shell-shocked, I'd say. It was 3-0 going on 4-0, 5-0 or 6-0. It's the best I've seen Celtic play and the most raucous I've seen this stadium for a league match in a long time.

  19. 'Rangers have to find answers quickly'

    FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Kenny Miller
    Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound

    Off the back of the two draws, this is going to be very damaging. Rangers are playing catch-up now. It's a different mentality. You have to beat Ross County away, not concede three goals. And they were outplayed at Pittodrie. Rangers have to find answers and find them quickly.

    Rangers were outplayed for long stretches this eveningSNS

    Rangers were outplayed for long stretches this evening

  20. FT: Celtic 3-0 Rangers

    Remember, Celtic were six points behind on Boxing Day. Now they are one point in front after just four Premiership matches in 2022.