Rangers secured back-to-back wins over Celtic, culminating in a 1-0 Scottish Premiership victory at Celtic Park. Ryan Naderi bagged the game’s only goal before halftime, and you know what? This was a statement win for manager Derek McInnes, silencing some serious critics who were coming for him just weeks ago.
From Pressure Cooker to Pitch Domination
Remember a month ago? Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday, on punditry duty for BBC Scotland, recalled how McInnes was under “real pressure” after an early-season European exit. People were confused, saying it didn’t even “look like a Derek McInnes team.” Well, hold up, because that narrative is absolutely trashed now. Halliday said this is exactly a Derek McInnes team. We are talking “front foot, aggressive, making contact with people, when they win the ball back playing forward, running forward and putting Celtic under constant pressure for large parts of the game.” He even said the second half was better than the first from Rangers. “Complete control, waves of attack.” Celtic barely got a sniff until the last five, ten minutes.
An “Unbelievable Achievement” That Builds Real Confidence
How dominant was it? Halliday put it wild, saying he had “never seen a Rangers team go to Celtic Park and get so many easy touches of the ball.” He joked there was an “M8 motorway between the teams and not the width of the M8, probably the length.” That’s not just a win, that is owning the pitch, plain and simple. Former Rangers forward Peter Lovenkrands was equally impressed, calling it an “unbelievable achievement” for McInnes, the team, and the club to win two in a row at Celtic Park. He said it is “going to give them so much confidence.” You can feel that energy, right?
After a 3-0 League Cup win at Ibrox and now this 1-0 battle at Celtic Park, Rangers are absolutely riding high. This kind of back-to-back derby win, especially away from home, builds serious momentum. With this “unbelievable achievement” under their belt, expect Rangers to play with a swagger, fueled by this newfound confidence. The Scottish Premiership looks a whole lot different now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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