If Rangers’ Old Firm trouncing of Celtic was not impressive enough, the eventual 3-0 scoreline looks all the more remarkable when you consider the circumstances surrounding it.
And if this does not sum up the unpredictable, often madcap nature of this remarkable sport, what else does?
A Rangers side who’s confidence had plummeted after dropping points against St Mirren and Motherwell. A Rangers side still suffering the heartbreak of a League Cup final to their old rivals two weeks earlier, at risk of going 17 points adrift in the Premiership table, and without three of their first-choice back five.
So, all things considered, of course it would be today that Philippe Clement broke his Old Firm duck, at the seventh time of asking.
Rangers were without goalkeeper Jack Butland, not to mention James Tavernier, John Souttar, Leon Balogun and Neraysho Kasanwirjo. In Clement’s own words, hardly ‘perfect preparation’ for such a high-pressure encounter.
Clement was forced to hand Liam Kelly a second-ever Rangers appearance in goal. Ridvan Yilmaz started in an unfamiliar right-back berth, while Dujon Sterling partnered Robin Propper at the back. A full-back by trade, alongside a man who has come in for some seriously unrelenting criticism since arriving in Glasgow from Dutch football.
Should Butland, Tavernier and Balogun remain on the sidelines for the time being, then, at least Rangers can now approach those upcoming clashes with the likes of Hibernian and Dundee with a renewed confidence in the strength of their squad.
Philippe Clement provides injury update on Rangers duo Jack Butland and James Tavernier
Clement, speaking following arguably the greatest, most complete performance of his Gers reign, played down the prospect of Butland or Tavernier making their returns at Easter Road on Sunday.
“I don’t know yet for the moment, but I think the chance is really small in that way,” Tavernier tells reporters. “But it’s not long-term. Tav, for sure not. And Jack, I don’t think also for the weekend, but maybe the week after. We will see.”
When pressed specifically on Balogun’s availability, Clement was also keen to point out that the 36-year-old centre-half should be back on the pitch sooner rather than later.
“We will see towards the weekend,” Clement adds. “It’s not a long, long term, but I cannot say anything about it yet.”
With Butland out of action, Clement was delighted with the way a 28-year-old Kelly stepped up between the sticks. His second successive clean sheet, meanwhile, was made a damn sigh easier by the outstanding performances of those ahead of him.
Propper and Sterling were imperious, barely giving Kyogo Furuhashi a moment’s piece.
Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn were kept quiet by Ridvan Yilmaz and Jefte, meanwhile, as Nedim Bajrami ‘nullified’ the controlling influence of Celtic captain Callum McGregor.
Rangers’ squad players step up in Celtic thrashing at Ibrox
“We had this discussion about rotation and things like that,” a fizzing Clement added in his post-match presser. “I hope everybody understands now that it’s important in moments.
“I don’t see players from other teams, and let’s say now from Celtic, playing every time 90 minutes. Kyogo has changed and [Adam] Idah is starting some games. Kuhn is also not starting all the games.
“So I hope we can stop this discussion for the rest of the season or for the rest of my time that I’m here, because it’s the only way that you can do [things in] professional football, to work in that way. And we need to continue creating depth in the squad.
“We don’t have the money to buy it. Depth in the squad, we need to do it by work, by making players better, getting young players in or getting young players out of our academy to make them better, and creating the depth like this.
“So that’s what we’re going to do in the next couple of months.”
