2010-10-24: Celtic 1-3 Rangers, SPL

Match Pictures | Matches: 20102011 | 2010-2011 Pictures

Trivia

  • Rangers go top by 3pts; Celtic drop first pts of season.
  • Hooper scores first goal for Celtic.
  • Debut for loads of the team!
  • Another penalty given for the Huns when it shouldn't have been!
  • Kenny Miller (ex-Celt) scores a double against Celtic again.

Review

(by Hinkel's Beard of the KDS forum)
Where to begin. The positives we can take from the game (if you want to call them that) is that Hooper appears to be the striker that we need him to be and Ki seemed to play well in midfield (hopefully he can do more in forthcoming matches). Also, as many have said, it's only 3 points and it's quite early in the season, I'm sure they'll drop points. Whilst we bottled it in the second half, it's pretty hard attacking against a team who will park the bus at every opportunity.

Maloney going off so early scunnered us as we didn't seem to have ANY creativity down the flanks. Both Stokes and Samaras only seem to want to cut in and have a dig at goal, which is fine when you're a couple of goals up, but not when you're chasing the game. Without Maloney no one was attacking the bye-line, which is exactly what we needed to do against Papac and Whittaker. Juarez, regardless of how much I like him as a player, did very little except from one or two nice breaks. When you're ending up having pops from 30 yards out for most of the second half, something needs to be changed. Paddy didn't have a chance as, even though he's great at going past players, when you have to take it past 8 guys to get a shot at goal, you may struggle.

Loovens concerns me in four or five different and exciting ways every time I see him play:
1) When he's playing I feel slight concern for Lennon's coaching nous, as every one watching can see he doesn't seem to know what he's doing/where he's supposed to be. He's constantly attacking the ball when someone is already going for it (think he did it against Wilson and Ledley) yesterday. Also, IIRC he didn't seem to go to Miller any time the wee scrote was attacking our goal.
2) The fact he's playing every game makes me concerned that, even if Lennon wanted to replace him, he can't as Hooiveld/Rogne/Misun/The guy who sits in C140, really aren't up to scratch
3) He seems to be playing the Celtic of Strachan's era whenever he gets the ball. He think he's Gary 'Der Kaiser' Caldwell MKII, and always seems to try and play the cross field pass onto Sammy's chest, never taking the simple option.
4) Jesus eff, whenever the ball comes near him my bumhole starts twitching, which is never a good sign for him or me.

We didn't play well but we lost three goals which we could do nothing about. One was a contentious/non-existent penalty which isn't surprising at all given that we play in Scotland and it was an Old Firm game. One came from a poor clearance from the goalie which is unfortunate, but it happens. One was a scrappy own goal (part of me likes to think that if Loovens hadn't tried to defend the goal, Ledley might have made a goal line clearance, but that's neither here nor there).

All in all it's a total ball ache, but I still have a wee bit of faith that we'll get it up them a couple more times this season.

Teams

Celtic

  • 26Forster
  • 03Izaguirre
  • 05Majstorovic
  • 12Wilson
  • 22Loovens
  • 16Ledley
  • 18Ki Sung-Yeungyellow card
  • 09Samarasyellow card
  • 10Stokesyellow card (McCourt 68)
  • 13Maloney (Juarez 14)
  • 88Hooper

Substitutes

  • 24Zaluska,
  • 04Juarez,
  • 11Cha Du-Ri ,
  • 31Towell,
  • 56Twardzik,
  • 14McGinn,
  • 20McCourt

Goals

  • Hooper 45+1

Rangers

  • 01McGregor
  • 03Weir
  • 05Papac (Broadfoot 46)
  • 16Whittaker
  • 24Bougherrayellow card
  • 06McCullochyellow card
  • 07Edu
  • 08Davis
  • 09Miller (Weiss 79)
  • 11Lafferty (Beattie 89)
  • 14Naismith

Substitutes

  • 25Alexander,
  • 04Broadfoot,
  • 12Foster,
  • 20Weiss,
  • 10Fleck,
  • 19Beattie,
  • 41Hutton

Goals

  • Loovens (og) 49
  • Miller 55
  • Miller (pen) 67
Ref: Collum
Att: 58,874

Articles

Pictures

MOTM

Stats

Possession

  • Celtic 63%
  • Rangers 37%

Attempts on target

  • Celtic 7
  • Rangers 4

Attempts off target

  • Celtic 8
  • Rangers 3

Corners

  • Celtic 11
  • Rangers 1

Fouls

  • Celtic 16
  • Rangers 15

Articles

BBC

Celtic 1-3 Rangers

By Andy Campbell
Rangers moved three points clear of opponents Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League after winning the season's first Old Firm derby.
It was the hosts who went in front when Gary Hooper slammed home in first-half injury time.
But Glenn Loovens's own goal levelled matters straight after the break.
Ex-Celtic player Kenny Miller volleyed Rangers ahead and took his season's tally to 13 with a controversial penalty in the 67th minute.

Rangers' win maintains their 100% league record for the season while Celtic manager Neil Lennon's unblemished SPL record, which had dated back to March, comes to an end.
All of the derby debutants at the start of the match were in the home side with Fraser Forster, Emilio Izaguirre, Daniel Majstorovic, Joe Ledley, Anthony Stokes and Hooper making their Old Firm bow.
Celtic substitute Efrain Juarez, and Rangers replacements Vladimir Weiss and James Beattie, also subsequently got a first taste of the Glasgow fixture.
Referee Willie Collum, who was taking charge of his first Old Firm derby, produced two yellow cards in the opening five minutes as Stokes and then Lee McCulloch were cautioned for reckless challenges.
In between times, the frame of the Celtic goal had been rattled by Steven Whittaker's fierce drive and goalkeeper Forster clutched a Steven Davis strike in Rangers' next attack.
Shaun Maloney sustained a gash above his eye in an aerial challenge with Steven Naismith and the Celtic captain was soon replaced by Juarez, who within moments sent a dipping a shot wide from the edge of the box.
Davis's volley on the turn forced Forster into another save and Celtic full-back Izaguirre then tried his luck from distance with a shot that cleared the crossbar.
Madjid Bougherra and McCulloch were off target with chipped shots either side of a Ki Sung-Yeung free-kick that was held by Rangers keeper Allan McGregor.
Celtic ended the first half strongly with a series of corners and from one Ki delivery, Whittaker's header carried the ball to Hooper, who swept it into the net at the back post.
But Rangers responded right at the start of the second half when Davis's free-kick was knocked on by Kyle Lafferty and Loovens inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Stokes had two efforts as Celtic looked to regain the lead, the first dipping wide and the second held by McGregor.
Ki was yellow carded for clipping Naismith and, moments later, Rangers were in front.
Forster's poor clearance was pounced upon by Naismith, who played a lobbed pass through to the advancing Maurice Edu, and Majstorovic's attempted clearance sat up perfectly for Miller to volley into the net.
Referee Collum was called upon to dampen tempers after Loovens and Miller clashed in the wake of Celtic being awarded a free-kick.
And there was another big decision to make for 31-year-old Collum when Rangers substitute Kirk Broadfoot went down in the box under Majstorovic's challenge, with the referee pointing to the spot amid protests from the home players, who felt Broadfoot had dived.
Miller struck high to the keeper's left and found the net with the aid of the post.
Ki's net-bound free-kick was beaten out by McGregor and Majstorovic had a shot blocked in the Rangers six-yard box.
Rangers continued to pose a threat on the break and Lafferty wasted a chance for his team to score a fourth when he shot wide instead of passing to one of his team-mates waiting in the box.
Ledley did well to fashion a shot out of a bouncing ball, forcing McGregor to tip over, and Samaras was booked for catching Naismith late before the end.

Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9116464.stm

Published: 2010/10/24 13:39:29 GMT

© BBC MMX

  • Final Result
  • Full Time
  • 90:00+2:27 The final whistle goes and the game is over.
  • 90:00+2:10 Shot from just outside the area by Georgios Samaras misses to the right of the target.
  • 90:00+0:25 The ball is swung over by Mark Wilson.
  • 87:41 Free kick taken by Madjid Bougherra.
  • 87:41 Substitution James Beattie joins the action as a substitute, replacing Kyle Lafferty.
  • 87:41 Booking Booking for Georgios Samaras for unsporting behaviour.
  • 87:25 Steven Naismith fouled by Georgios Samaras, the ref awards a free kick.
  • 86:36 Sung-Yong Ki fouled by Vladimir Weiss, the ref awards a free kick. Glenn Loovens restarts play with the free kick.
  • 84:55 The ball is swung over by Emilio Izaguirre, blocked by Steven Naismith. Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Patrick McCourt, save by Allan McGregor. Shot on goal by Mark Wilson from just inside the area goes over the target.
  • 83:21 Georgios Samaras produces a cross, Joe Ledley takes a shot. Save by Allan McGregor. Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Sung-Yong Ki, Daniel Majstorovic produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box that clears the bar.
  • 83:15 The ball is crossed by Emilio Izaguirre.
  • 82:23 A cross is delivered by Emilio Izaguirre, blocked by Steven Whittaker. Corner taken by Emilio Izaguirre from the left by-line, Lee McCulloch manages to make a clearance.
  • 81:27 Effort from the edge of the area by Kyle Lafferty goes wide of the left-hand upright.
  • 80:35 Foul by Steven Naismith on Emilio Izaguirre, free kick awarded. Emilio Izaguirre takes the free kick.
  • 79:42 Free kick crossed right-footed by Sung-Yong Ki from left wing, Allan McGregor makes a save.
  • 79:42 Booking Madjid Bougherra booked for unsporting behaviour.
  • 79:37 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Madjid Bougherra.
  • 78:13 Substitution Vladimir Weiss joins the action as a substitute, replacing Kenny Miller.
  • 77:31 The ball is swung over by Mark Wilson, clearance made by Madjid Bougherra.
  • 77:12 Gary Hooper produces a cross, clearance made by Steven Whittaker.
  • 76:43 Handball by Kyle Lafferty. Mark Wilson restarts play with the free kick.
  • 74:57 Georgios Samaras takes a shot. David Weir gets a block in. Corner taken right-footed by Sung-Yong Ki, Shot by Daniel Majstorovic. Kirk Broadfoot gets a block in.
  • 73:56 Free kick awarded for a foul by Joe Ledley on Steven Naismith. Free kick taken by Madjid Bougherra.
  • 72:08 Sung-Yong Ki takes the outswinging corner, Kyle Lafferty makes a clearance.
  • 71:10 Steven Davis gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Sung-Yong Ki. Shot on goal comes in from Sung-Yong Ki from the free kick, save by Allan McGregor.
  • 70:36 Effort from deep inside the area by Efrain Juarez clears the bar.
  • 66:52 Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
  • 66:52 Substitution (Celtic) makes a substitution, with Patrick McCourt coming on for Anthony Stokes.
  • 66:52 The referee gives a free kick against Mark Wilson for handball.
  • 66:10 Assist by Kirk Broadfoot.
  • 66:10 GOAL – Kenny Miller:Celtic 1 – 3 Rangers Kenny Miller scores a placed penalty. Celtic 1-3 Rangers.
  • 65:08 Kirk Broadfoot fouled by Daniel Majstorovic, the ref awards a Penalty.
  • 62:16 Georgios Samaras crosses the ball.
  • 61:27 Anthony Stokes delivers the ball, save by Allan McGregor.
  • 60:50 Mark Wilson produces a cross, save by Allan McGregor.
  • 58:37 Kyle Lafferty challenges Glenn Loovens unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Glenn Loovens.
  • 57:25 Unfair challenge on Steven Naismith by Emilio Izaguirre results in a free kick. Allan McGregor takes the direct free kick.
  • 56:55 The ball is crossed by Anthony Stokes, clearance made by Steven Naismith.
  • 55:38 Mark Wilson sends in a cross. Handball by Joe Ledley. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
  • 55:30 Centre by Efrain Juarez, clearance made by Madjid Bougherra.
  • 54:20 GOAL – Kenny Miller:Celtic 1 – 2 Rangers Kenny Miller grabs a goal from the edge of the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Celtic 1-2 Rangers.
  • 53:48 The assistant referee flags for offside against Maurice Edu. Free kick taken by Fraser Forster.
  • 52:49 Madjid Bougherra takes the free kick.
  • 52:49 Booking Sung-Yong Ki is given a yellow card.
  • 52:30 Anthony Stokes takes a shot. Allan McGregor makes a save. Unfair challenge on Steven Naismith by Sung-Yong Ki results in a free kick.
  • 51:27 Sung-Yong Ki takes a inswinging corner. Mark Wilson delivers the ball, Steven Whittaker makes a clearance.
  • 49:23 Effort on goal by Anthony Stokes from just outside the area goes harmlessly over the target.
  • 48:09 GOAL – Glenn Loovens:Celtic 1 – 1 Rangers An unfortunate own goal is conceded by Glenn Loovens. Celtic 1-1 Rangers.
  • 48:06 Assist by Kyle Lafferty.
  • 47:04 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kyle Lafferty by Sung-Yong Ki. Steven Davis crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel.
  • 46:40 Emilio Izaguirre delivers the ball.
  • 46:24 The ball is crossed by Mark Wilson, Madjid Bougherra manages to make a clearance.
  • 45:58 Free kick awarded for a foul by Kirk Broadfoot on Joe Ledley. Sung-Yong Ki takes the free kick.
  • 45:01 The referee gets the second half started.
  • 45:01 Substitution (Rangers) makes a substitution, with Kirk Broadfoot coming on for Sasa Papac.
  • Half Time
  • 45:00+1:42 The match has reached half-time.
  • 45:00+0:46 Assist by Sung-Yong Ki.
  • 45:00+0:46 GOAL – Gary Hooper:Celtic 1 – 0 Rangers Goal scored by Gary Hooper from inside the six-yard box to the top right corner of the goal. Celtic 1-0 Rangers.
  • 44:50 The ball is delivered by Mark Wilson, blocked by Kyle Lafferty. Inswinging corner taken by Sung-Yong Ki from the left by-line,
  • 44:34 Corner taken short by Anthony Stokes.
  • 44:29 A cross is delivered by Emilio Izaguirre, Madjid Bougherra makes a clearance.
  • 43:22 Corner taken right-footed by Sung-Yong Ki, Kyle Lafferty makes a clearance. Corner taken by Sung-Yong Ki from the left by-line played to the near post, clearance made by Sasa Papac.
  • 42:15 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Anthony Stokes by Lee McCulloch. Glenn Loovens takes the free kick.
  • 41:58 Unfair challenge on Georgios Samaras by Steven Whittaker results in a free kick. Emilio Izaguirre takes the free kick.
  • 41:14 Shot from just outside the box by Lee McCulloch goes over the crossbar.
  • 39:56 Centre by Emilio Izaguirre, clearance made by Sasa Papac.
  • 38:24 Corner taken by Steven Davis from the right by-line, clearance made by Daniel Majstorovic.
  • 37:37 Gary Hooper challenges David Weir unfairly and gives away a free kick. Allan McGregor takes the free kick.
  • 36:24 Anthony Stokes fouled by Madjid Bougherra, the ref awards a free kick. Sung-Yong Ki restarts play with the free kick. The ball is sent over by Mark Wilson.
  • 35:23 Georgios Samaras sends in a cross.
  • 34:48 Steven Naismith gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Sung-Yong Ki. Direct free kick taken by Glenn Loovens.
  • 33:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Lee McCulloch on Georgios Samaras. Sung-Yong Ki shoots direct from the free kick, save by Allan McGregor.
  • 33:06 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kyle Lafferty by Efrain Juarez. Sasa Papac takes the direct free kick.
  • 32:32 Madjid Bougherra sends in a cross.
  • 31:08 Shot from just outside the area by Emilio Izaguirre goes over the bar.
  • 30:14 The offside flag is raised against Kyle Lafferty. Free kick taken by Sung-Yong Ki.
  • 29:21 The ball is swung over by Steven Whittaker, Shot by Steven Davis from 18 yards. Fraser Forster makes a comfortable save.
  • 28:10 Georgios Samaras sends in a cross. Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Hooper on Steven Whittaker. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
  • 27:43 Unfair challenge on Daniel Majstorovic by Kenny Miller results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Daniel Majstorovic.
  • 26:57 The ball is delivered by Joe Ledley, Lee McCulloch manages to make a clearance.
  • 26:23 Sung-Yong Ki takes the outswinging corner, David Weir manages to make a clearance.
  • 24:48 Unfair challenge on Steven Naismith by Daniel Majstorovic results in a free kick. Steven Davis crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, clearance made by Daniel Majstorovic.
  • 23:37 The ball is delivered by Kyle Lafferty.
  • 23:31 The ball is delivered by Steven Whittaker.
  • 23:01 Shot from outside the area by Efrain Juarez misses to the left of the target.
  • 22:50 Centre by Mark Wilson, clearance made by Steven Whittaker.
  • 22:32 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Naismith on Emilio Izaguirre. Free kick taken by Joe Ledley.
  • 20:46 Steven Whittaker takes a shot. Blocked by Emilio Izaguirre.
  • 20:23 Sung-Yong Ki concedes a free kick for a foul on Maurice Edu. Sasa Papac takes the free kick.
  • 18:10 Emilio Izaguirre concedes a free kick for a foul on Steven Naismith. Sasa Papac delivers the ball from the free kick left-footed from right channel.
  • 15:19 Sung-Yong Ki fouled by Steven Davis, the ref awards a free kick. Sung-Yong Ki takes the direct free kick.
  • 13:21 Substitution Efrain Juarez on for Shaun Maloney.
  • 12:56 Steven Whittaker produces a cross, clearance by Sung-Yong Ki.
  • 11:52 Madjid Bougherra fouled by Georgios Samaras, the ref awards a free kick. Steven Whittaker crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance by Daniel Majstorovic.
  • 11:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Hooper on David Weir. David Weir takes the free kick.
  • 5:41 Steven Davis takes a shot. Fraser Forster makes a save.
  • 4:33 Gary Hooper produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the box and misses to the left of the target.
  • 3:19 Free kick crossed right-footed by Sung-Yong Ki. The ball is crossed by Emilio Izaguirre, clearance by David Weir.
  • 3:19 Booking Lee McCulloch receives a caution for unsporting behaviour.
  • 3:12 Lee McCulloch concedes a free kick for a foul on Emilio Izaguirre.
  • 2:52 Shot by Steven Whittaker from inside the box bounces off the post.
  • 1:08 Steven Davis crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left by-line, save by Fraser Forster.
  • 1:08 Booking Anthony Stokes goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
  • 1:00 Free kick awarded for a foul by Anthony Stokes on Sasa Papac.
  • 0:50 Sasa Papac crosses the ball, Glenn Loovens makes a clearance.
  • 0:09 Gary Hooper challenges David Weir unfairly and gives away a free kick. Allan McGregor restarts play with the free kick.
  • 0:00 The referee gets the game underway

Rangers come from behind again to beat Old Firm rivals at Celtic Park

* Ewan Murray at Celtic Park
* guardian.co.uk, Sunday 24 October 2010 21.58 BST

Rangers' Kenny Miller and Kyle lafferty celebrate scoring against Celtic Rangers' Kenny Miller and Kyle Lafferty celebrate scoring against Celtic. Photograph: Russell Cheyne/Reuters

No Old Firm occasion is complete without its share of controversy and verbal jousting, and today's derby victory by Rangers supplied both in spades. This one ended with complaints from the Celtic manager, Neil Lennon, over the performance of the referee, with Rangers' Walter Smith responding that undue pressure was exerted on the official by the Parkhead club before a ball was kicked.

Lennon had issued a veiled warning to the referee, Willie Collum, who was taking charge of his first Glasgow derby, on Friday. Sadly for Celtic's manager, Collum proved the main post-match discussion point after his decision to award Rangers a dubious second-half penalty, which Kenny Miller scored to earn a 3-1 lead.

"It looked soft to me," Lennon said of the penalty, given after Kirk Broadfoot tumbled over the Celtic defender Daniel Majstorovic. "If you look at him [Collum], I'm not sure he saw it so I don't know why he has given it. He has a lot of questions to answer."

Lennon was riled that the Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch, already on a booking at that juncture, was not dismissed for a challenge on Georgios Samaras. "I want to know why McCulloch was still on the pitch after a blatant obstruction when we were breaking," Celtic's manager added. "I'm not going to go on about the referee because I have my own problems regarding the team but you have to get the big decisions right and there's another big decision that has gone against us. I will be asking for an explanation."

Smith believed the home side's concentration on the referee in the preamble to today's game was unwarranted. In what is merely their latest battle with the Scottish Football Association, Celtic had written to complain about the performance of the officials during last weekend's win at Dundee United, an issue which became public knowledge during the build-up to yesterday's encounter.

"There was unfair pressure on Willie Collum, there's not any doubt about that," the Rangers manager said. "That is two out of the last three Old Firm games in which the referee has been placed under unfair pressure before the start of the game. We have got to stop and have a look at what is happening, instead of blaming officials. If you sit down and look at it, the majority of times the better team wins an Old Firm game."

Lennon, in reply to the suggestion that the focus was on Collum, said: "Probably, but it is a big game. Whoever refereed the game was going to be under the spotlight anyway. I thought he got a couple of big decisions wrong. I thought McCulloch should have gone for the one on Samaras, it was a second yellow and Rangers should have been down to 10 men for the second half."

Michel Platini, a surprise visitor to Celtic Park for his first taste of the derby, left the stadium long before full-time. Uefa's president could have encountered serious traffic congestion, given the thousands of home fans who had the same idea. While the penalty decision was at best debatable, – Broadfoot clearly embellished the situation – Rangers were the better team by a considerable margin during the second period.

Collum was first called into action within a minute, booking Anthony Stokes for a wild lunge on Sasa Papac. It is no exaggeration to say the colour of the card could and maybe should have been different.

The remainder of the first half was drab, with Gary Hooper's opener for Celtic an all too rare moment of goalmouth action. The striker pounced after Steven Whittaker had accidentally diverted a corner from the terrific Ki Sung-yueng into his path. There was an element of fortune about the Rangers equaliser, with the ball flying off Kyle Lafferty's thigh and subsequently the midrift of Celtic's Glenn Loovens before entering the net. The bizarre intervention prompted Rangers' latest comeback – the fifth time in nine SPL games they have overturned an opposition advantage to win the game – with Miller volleying home from 14 yards after a mix-up in Lennon's defence. The Celtic manager rightly lamented "inexperienced mistakes from experienced players" later.

Miller's penalty took his tally to seven goals in 11 Old Firm games since he re-signed at Ibrox. Smith had presided over the 200th game in his second tenure at Rangers and his 50th match overall against Celtic.

"There are a lot of games to be played but I am delighted by the position we are in," said Smith, whose team have edged three points in front of their old adversaries.

From the moment Miller's shot from 12 yards flew beyond Fraser Forster, Celtic never demonstrated attacking touch which hinted even one goal in response would be forthcoming. Platini, a man who was once the epitome of football creativity, could not have approved.

Man of the match Ki Sung-yueng (Celtic)

Scottish Premier
* Barry Glendenning
* guardian.co.uk, Sunday 24 October 2010 11.58 BST

Rangers v Celtic "From the dawn of time they came; moving silently down through the centuries, living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering; when the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known they were among you… until now." Photograph: Lynne Cameron/PA

Preamble: It's Irn Bru O'Clock and with heart, faith and steel … in the end there can be only one. Welcome to the Guardian's minute-by-minute report of this afternoon's Old Firm set-to between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park, a service we provide from time to time in order to give some of the chippier Scotsmen among our readership the opportunity to complain about the token nature of our live SPL coverage, rather than the complete absence of our live SPL football coverage.

With both sides yet to drop a point home or away in the SPL this season, this is the first of four likely title-deciders between these fierce rivals in their annual battle to win the title. Defending champions Rangers currently sit top of the table, but only courtesy of as superior goal difference that couldn be less slender.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon is unbeaten in 16 SPL matches since taking up the cudgels from Tony Mowbray late last season, and 1-0 up in managerial head-to-heads against his opposite number, Walter Smith. In the build-up to today's match, he's been ratcheting up the pressure on referee Willie Collum, who takes charge of his first Old Firm match this afternoon, with grumbles about the number of decisions that have gone against his Bhoys in recent derbies.

"I put it down to human error," he said, rolling a grenade marked 'Anti-Celtic Conspiracy Theory' into the room. "But you can't keep getting those decisions wrong on a consistent basis. I would like to think it is just honest mistakes being made." Perhaps Lennon's greatest concern this afternoon will be the comparative lack of Old Firm game experience in a team containing several recruits who pitched up at Celtic Park during the summer.

Having watched his side draw with Spanish side Valencia in a Champions League group game they were unlucky not to win in midweek, Walter Smith will eschew the defensive minded 5-4-1 formation he plays in Europe and switch to a 4-5-1, with Kenny Miller playing alone up front.

"At times we've gone to Celtic Park and we've set up in a slightly more defensive fashion but nothing like we do in the Champions League," said Smith. "I think the way both teams have started the season, we'll look to go there and do as well as we possibly can."

That's the spirit.

Celtic knack-news: Celtic skipper and Republican senator for Massachusetts Scott Brown misses out today with an ankle injury that's likely to keep him sidelined for the next two months, one fewer than midfielder Beram Kayal, who's convalescing in the wake of a hernia operation. James Forrest (ankle), Charlie Mulgrew (hamstring), James Forrest (ankle) and Thomas Rogne (calf) are all long-term absentees, while Daryl Murphy (ankle) is also carrying a leg.

Rangers knack-news: Croatia striker Nikica Jelavic remains unavailable due to an ankle injury, while target-man James Beattie (hip) and midfielder John Fleck (hamstring) are also jiggered. Defender Kirk Broadfoot and defender/midfielder/winger/striker (nobody likes a show-off) Lee McCulloch are available for selection after recovering from the respective foot and groin injuries that ruled them out of Rangers' Valencia at Ibrox during the week.

Team news: Neil Lennon sends out the same Celtic side that beat Dundee United 2-1 last Sunday, while Lee McCulloch and Kyle Lafferty start for Rangers, with Vladimir Weiss and Richard Foster making way from the side that lined up against Valencia on Wednesday.

Celtic: Forster, Wilson, Majstorovic, Loovens, Izaguirre,
Stokes, Ki, Ledley, Maloney, Samaras, Hooper.
Subs: Zaluska, Juarez, Cha, McGinn, McCourt, Towell, Filip Twardzik.

Rangers: McGregor, Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac,
McCulloch, Naismith, Davis, Edu, Lafferty, Miller.
Subs: Alexander, Broadfoot, Fleck, Foster, Beattie, Weiss, Hutton.

Referee: William Collum (Scotland)

Not long now: Say what you like about this game being the equivalent of two Pygmies fighting over who's the tallest in the village, but that doesn't mean they won't put on an entertaining blood-and-thunder bout. Uefa president Michel Platini is in a wedged Celtic Park this afternoon for his first Old Firm derby, where two unstoppable Scottish forces clash head on to see if anything will give. My prediction? I haven't a clue how this one will go, but will settle for goals galore, a mass brawl or two, several sendings-off and a couple of missed penalties. The presence of Kyle Lafferty on the field renders all of the above likely … except perhaps goals galore.

The teams are out: The teams march out to a raucous welcome, with Celtics's players wearing their usual green and white hoops, white shorts and green and white hooped socks. Rangers are gussied up in their usual colours of blue shirts, white shorts and black socks with red trim.

1 min: Celtic kick off and immediately lump the ball forward, only for Gary Hooper to be penalised for a foul on David Weir.

2 min: With one minute and nine seconds on the clock, Anthony Stokes gets the first booking of the game for a woefully rash lunge on Sasa Papac, as the Rangers left-back tried to cross from the wing. Free-kick for Rangers, which might as well be a corner. Celtic clear. Stokes should have been sent off for that. It's the kind of tackle that would give Arsene Wenger an attack of the vapours.

3 min: Rangers go so close. Steven Whittaker hits the foot of the left upright with a low drive after being set up by a poor Daniel Majstorovic clearing header from a throw-in by Maurice Edu.

3 min: Lee McCulloch's name goes into the book for a horrible lunge on Emilio Izaguirre as Celtic broke on the counter-attack after that near miss by Whittaker. They're going at some lick here – what a start!

5 min: More good play by Rangers – Maurice Edu takes a pass from the right flank from Kenny Miller, rolls the ball across the edge of the penalty area to Steven Davis, who tries a shot from the edge of the D. In the Celtic goal, Fraser Forster saves comfortably.

7 min: Rangers have a penalty appeal turned down when Daniel Majstorovic tries to dispossess Sasa Papac in the penalty area. Referee Willie Collom waves away the appeal and replays show he was probably correct – there was non contact between the players, Papac just lost his balance. FYI: referee Willie Collom is a religious studies teacher. You couldn't make it up.

10 min: And breathe.

11 min: There's a pause in play as Celtic skipper and left winger Shaun Maloney gets treated after a clash of heads with Steven Naismith. It was accidental, but his left eye has swollen closed – he's going to have some shiner in the morning.

11 min: Play resumes, but without Maloney, who's gone up the tunnel to get stitches or some other form of treatment on his badly bruised eye. Perhaps the Celtic physio is going to cut it open, Rocky style?

13 min: Free-kick for Rangers, wide on the right, a long way out. Whittaker pumps the ball into the Celtic box, where Daniel Majstorovic heads clear. Kyle Lafferty picks up the pieces and tries a shot, but Anthony Stokes blocks.
MBM substitution

14 min: Celtic substitution: Shaun Maloney off, Mexican midfielder Efrain Juarez on. Celtic's Swedish defender Daniel Majstorovic pulls on the captain's armband.

16 min: Only 16 minutes gone, although there's been so much action it feels like a lot longer. Some house-keeping: Rangers have lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Lee McCulloch playing in front of a bank of four defenders and Kenny Miller alone up front of a bank of four midfielders, with Lafferty on the left wing, Davis and Edu in the middle and Steven Naismith on the right. Celtic are playing a more adventurous 4-4-2, with Stokes on the right flank, Juarez on the right, Sung-Yeung Ki and Joe Ledley in the centre. Georgios Samaras and Gary Hooper are up front. At least that's how they lined up before Maloney went off – I'm not sure if they've rejigged things since he was replaced by Suarez.

18 min: Rangers win a free-kick about 50 yards from the Celtic goal. Sasa Papac wastes it – he tried to drop his delivery into the corridor of uncertainty between goalkeeper and defenders, but sent it high and wide. That's dreadful.

22 min: Some aimless huffing and puffing with no bookings, shots on goal or fighting. Down with this sort of thing.

23 min: Juaraz gets between Lee McCulloch and Papac and tries a shot from distance. His surface-to-air diagonal drive fizzes high and wide of the top left-hand corner.

24 min: Celtic goalkeeper Fraser Forster dithers over whether or not to come off his line for a Lafferty cross from the left, possibly because the sun is in his eyes. Naismith tries to get on the end of it, but it's too high and the ball skims off his head and out of harm's way.

25 min: Rangers win a free-kick about 55 yards from the Celtic goal, which Steven Davis sends into the mixer. Celtic clear, courtesy of a meaty defensive header by Loovens, followed by some industrious scuttling around on the deck by Anthony Stokes.

26 min: After more good work by Stokes, Gary Hooper goes down under a Steven Whittaker challenge in the Rangers penalty area and appeals for a spot-kick. He was chancing his arm, there was no contact and the referee waves play on.

28 min: Another good decision from referee Willie Collom, who awards Rangers a free-kick on the edge of their own penalty area after a foul by Joe Ledley on Steven Whittaker. A split-second after the illegal challenge, Ledley was tripped, so when Collom blew his whistle, Celtic's fans thought they were being awarded a penalty.

30 min: Celtic probe, with Samaras, Ki and Suaraz passing the ball over and back around the edge of the final third. For want of something better to do, they tee up the Honduran midfielder Emilio Izaguirre, who shoots high and wide from 30 yards, but not too far high and wide. Good effort – that looked to be arrowing towards the top left-hand corner.

33 min: From distance, Rangers centre-half Madjid Bougherra tries to curl a shot inside the left upright. Wide.

33 min: Sloppy play from Bougherra, who gives the ball away, enables Celtic to counter-attack at lightning speed courtesy of Georgios Samaras, who is cynically brought down by Lee McCulloch. The Rangers enforcer is very, very lucky to avoid a second yellow card. He could easily have got his marching orders there and looks mightily relieved that he didn't.

36 min: "If Giorgios Samaras looks pointless and pedestrian in the SPL, how bad does that make him in reality?" asks Adam Murphy, posing an interesting philosophical conundrun. He certainly should have done better a couple of moments ago – if he'd released the ball to Gary Hooper prior to the foul on him by McCulloch, Celtic might well have scored.

37 min: With Celtic right-back Mark Wilson in acres of space on the right flank, Kyle Lafferty rushes out to close him down. Wilson shapes to cross but doesn't and Lafferty buys the dummy. He leaps to block the non-existent cross, turning his back to it like a big chicken. With the ball still at his foot and Lafferty out of the game, Wilson advances further and pings an inch-perfect cross on to the head of Gary Hooper, who heads wide.

40 min: After dominating in the opening half-hour, Rangers are starting to cede their early advantage to Celtic, inviting them on to have a go.

41 min: Good work by Steven Whittaker, who shimmies from the inside-right area across the edge of the Celtic penalty area. Unable to make room for a shot of his own, he tees up Lee McCulloch, who blasts the ball out of the stadium.

43 min: Stokes saunters down the right wing, gets shown inside by Lafferty and pings in a cross, winning a corner for Celtic. Ki sends it in, Lafferty puts it out for another corner.

44 min: Ki sends in the second corner, but his delivery is so awful that Papac hasd to duck to head clear at the near post.

44 min: Celtic win another corner, which Stokes takes short from the right. Mark Wilson tries to cross, but his effort is deflected out by Lafferty for a fourth Celtic corner in quick succession.
MBM goal

GOAL! Celtic 1-0 Rangers (Hooper 44) Celtic score from the corner. Ki sent the ball into the mixer from the left, Anthony Stokes got a flick-on at the near post and the ball went sailing towards Hooper, standing unmarked at the far post. The Celtic striker did marvellously well to chest the ball down and rifle it home with his right foot, as he didn't have too much goal to aim at. His job was made easier by Steven Davis, who wasn't so much guardiing the right upright as leaning against it having a little snooze.

Half-time Even without the last-minute goal, that would have been a marvellously entertaining opening half. Hooper's sixth goal in six games this season have left things nicely poised for the second half. Five years ago he was playing non-League football in England with Grays Athletic, but his career doesn't seem to have suffered from the step down to the SPL.

Second half: Rangers get the second half underway and I think they're a Sasa Papac down. The left-back's been struggling since being hacked down by Anthony Stokes in the opening minute and I believe he's been replaced. I'll try to confirm that as soon as possible.

46 min: Celtic attack down the left-flank in a good move that ends when left-back Emilio Izaguirre sends an attempted cross into the side-netting.
MBM goal

GOAL! Celtic 1- Rangers (Loovens og 47) I gave that to Lafferty originally, but it was a Glenn Loovens own goal. Rangers had a free kick in the left channel, a good distance out from the Celtic goal. The ball was curled into the mixer, where it dropped kindly for Lafferty. It hit his upper thigh and bounced goalwards from seven or eight yards and Looven's clumsy attempt at what looked like a fairly routine clearance succeeded only in helping it along its way. Despite frantic last-ditch attempts by assorted Celtic defenders, they couldn't stop the ball creeping in at the left upright.

51 min: Celtic corner, which Ki delivers from the left. He sends this one to the far post, where Rangers only half-clear. The ball pings around the penalty area and falls kindly for Anthony Stokes, who shoots tamely. Allan McGregor saves.

54 min: There's a tussle, followed by handbags between Ki and Steven Nasmith. Ki gets booked, Naismith gets a talking-to. The Rangers middfielder offers his hand to the South Korean, but is ignored.
MBM goal

GOAL! Celtic 1-2 Rangers (Miller 54) A dreadful clearance from Forster goes only as far as Naismith, who sends it straight back towards the Celtic penalty area. Mauurice Adu skins two defenders for pace and loops a pass out to Miller on the left. His low volley from 15 yards is beautifully placed inside the left upright and unstoppable. Great finish.

56 min: "I'm sorry to return to what has become a very tiresome debate," writes Tim Love. "But do you think Gray's Athletic should be allowed to join the SPL or do you think they should have to work their way through the Scottish Football League system despite the fact that they'd obviously immediately become the best team in Scotland?"

58 min: There's something of a melee after Kyle Lafferty refuses to give Glenn Loovens the ball after conceding a free-kick by backing into the Celtic defender. Remarkably, Lafferty is first to leave the scene, leaving Kenny Miller to push and shove on his behalf. The Norn Iron international must be under strict instructions not to get himself sent off for doing something stupid. Referee Willie Collom administers a few bollockings, but doesn't take the yellow card out of his pocket.
MBM substitution

61 min: For those of you who are still on tenterhooks wondering if Sasa Papac has been replaced and by who, I can reveal that he has indeed gone off injured. Kirk Broadfoot replaced him at half-time.

64 min: Rangers win a throw-in, halfway inside the Celtic half. It's not the most thrilling news I've brought you all day, but it's something.
MBM penalty

PENALTY FOR RANGERS! And it's a travesty. The ball hits the referee, who spins around. As he has his back to play, the ball drops for Kirk Broadfoot, who takes a dive while being shepherded by Daniel Majsteorovic. The referee turns back to play to see Broadfoot sprawled on the ground with his hands in the air appealing for a penalty, so he blows his whistle and points to the spot. Seriously, how could he give that? There's today's grist for Neil Lennon's conspiracy mill.
MBM goal

GOAL! Celtic 1-3 Rangers (Miller 66pen) Kenny Miller drills home an unstoppable penalty which goes in off the right upright. Having gone a goal down just before the break, Rangers are now very much in the ascendency.
MBM substitution

68min: Celtic substitution: Paddy McCourt on, Anthony Stokes off.

69 min: Having moved over to the right side of midfield to allow Paddy McCourt take up position on the left, Efraim Juarez gallops in from the touchline and sends a cross into the mixer. Samaras heads back across the face of goal from the far post, Rangers half-clear and Jaurez snatches at a shot. He should have done better.

71 min: Celtic free-kick about 25 yards from goal, well right of centre. Ki shoots around the wall and brings a marvellous save out of Allan McGregor.

75 min: As if being two goals down at home to their beloved neighbours wasn't bad enough, Celtic's players are now chasing shadows. Rangers are bossing them around their own manor and they have no answers. They seem completely bereft of ideas.

77 min: Gary Hooper attempts to cross from the right for Samaras, but Celtic's ineffective Greek striker is comfortably beaten in the air again.
MBM substitution

78 min: Rangers substitution: Kenny Miller off, Vladimir Weiss on.

79 min: Majstorovic makes a crucial intervention as Steven Naismith attempted to square the ball across the edge of the Celtic six-yard box. Moments later, Madjid Bougherra gets booked for a foul on Georgios Samaras.

80 min: Just 10 minutes to go – Celtic desperately need a goal, but look more likely to concede another than pull one back.

84 min: Technical problems mean I lose a big chunk of text that was less than complimentary about the the talents of Kyle Lafferty. Suffice to say that, with Celtic in all sorts of trouble having been caught on the break, he just squandered a marvellous opportunity to help Steven Davis put Rangers 4-1 up with one of the most inept attempts at a cross I've ever seen. Having galloped over 50 yards to be in position at the far post, Davis was furious with him.

85 min: Celtic win a corner, which is floated deep. The ball's headed clear, but only as far as Mark Wilson, who shoots high and wide from 25 yards.

87 min: There are handbags between Naismith and Samaras after a dreadful challenge on the former by the latter, who gets booked. He could have been sent off for that.
MBM substitution

88 min: Rangers substitution: James Beattie on, Kyle Lafferty off.

89 min: Celtic drive forward, but it's fairly futile. For all their huffing and puffing, they've looked pretty clueless today. In the Rangers goal, Allan McGregor's had to make a couple of saves from free-kicks, but apart from that he hasn't been too busy.

90+1 min: "It is not Rangers doing the bossing," writes Alistair Elder. "Any good Celtic fan will tell you it is the establishment." Nice.

Peep! Peep! Peep! Willie Collom puts Celtic out of their misery with three shrill blasts on his whistle. Rangers run out deserving winners to record their ninth straight SPL victory since the start of the season. The last time they did that was 1921, a year when Celtic went on to win the title. Those of you wearing anoraks may also be interested to know that this afternoon's match is only the second time in 67 meetings that a team has come from behind to win an Old Firm derby.

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Celtic v Rangers – as it happened | Barry Glendenning
This article was published on guardian.co.uk at 11.58 BST on Sunday 24 October 2010. It was last modified at 15.20 BST on Sunday 24 October 2010.
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