Celtic legend Neil Lennon knows all about the Old Firm derby having faced off against Rangers plenty of times as both a player and manager.
The former Celtic midfielder, 53, was on Sky Sports commentary duties as Rangers recorded a stunning 3-2 victory in the latest Old Firm Scottish Premiership clash.
This was the first time Rangers have won at Celtic Park since 2019 with Barry Ferguson the first Rangers manager to win his first Old Firm derby at Parkhead since the late, great Walter Smith.
It was a result and victory built on a tremendous first half performance where Rangers roared into a 2-0 lead courtesy of goals from Mohamed Diomande and Nicolas Raskin.
Neil Lennon paid tribute to that first half performance hailing the performance of Barry Ferguson’s team as ‘outstanding’.
Neil Lennon on ‘outstanding’ Rangers performance
Like the rest of the Celtic support, Lennon was blown away by Rangers’ positive performance in the first half and hailed the Ibrox side at half-time.
The ex-Celtic manager claims that the secret to that initial 2-0 lead was all about the Ibrox side’s tactics and their press, which Lennon branded ‘brave’.
“Rangers tactics and their press has been outstanding it’s been brave,” Lennon told Sky Sports.
“It’s more than Rangers deserve. Celtic have been lethargic, they’ve been sloppy on the ball. They’ve been casual.
“All credit goes to Rangers and the tactics and the way they’ve played the game. It’s been perfect.”
Celtic legend claims Rangers were ‘better team’ in first 45
Of course it wasn’t all plain sailing for Rangers in a pulsating Scottish Premiership clash with Celtic at Parkhead.
After Rangers had taken a 2-0 lead in the Old Firm victory, Celtic fought back in the second period to haul the scoreline back to 2-2.
But Rangers, who’d dug in throughout a tough second 45, came up trumps in the end through Hamza Igamane’s stunning 88th minute winner.
Neil Lennon is a fan of Igamane but it was the Rangers coaching team who was hailed by the Celtic legend at full-time.
”I’ve done it myself,” Lennon told Sky Sports, talking about Ferguson coming into Rangers. “He‘s galvanised the squad.
”Whether it be him or Neil or Billy or Greegsy, just all having an input into it.
”They showed bundles of character today. They were really aggressive in the first half. They looked a threat.
”Even at 2-2 there was still something in for them. I just felt Celtic weren’t functioning as well as they could’ve done.
”I never felt fully confident that they’d go and take Rangers apart at any time.“
Later Lennon added: ”It’s a hell of goal but you can’t say that Rangers didn’t deserve to get something out of the game either. I thought for large parts of the first half they were the better team.”
