Old Firm Derby: Rangers Hammer Celtic

Rangers were 3-0 winners over Celtic at Ibrox today, in the first Old Firm derby of the season.

The match is always the most eagerly anticipated game in Britain—and arguably the world. On this occasion, Rangers delivered their greatest performance in some years.

Celtic, to their credit, attacked from the outset and nearly took an early lead on an overhead kick from Scott McDonald.

The resulting corner produced a melee after Rangers' David Weir took issue with McDonald's kick on keeper Alan McGregor, and the tone for the match was officially set.

Rangers rallied when Barry Ferguson—my Man of the Match—found Alan Hutton on the right side, who played a ball behind the Celtic back line that Nacho Novo sent home with diving header.

The home side was ahead after 26 minutes.

Ferguson fought through injury to dominate the midfield for the full 90 minutes. Celtic captain Stephen McManus, meanwhile, was stretchered off before halftime with what looked to be a serious head injury.

Celtic made adjustments at the back in the second half, with Gary Caldwell moving from centre to right back and John Kennedy joining Darren O'Dea at the heart of the defence.

The move seemed to stagger Rangers—who were lucky not to concede on at least two occasions—but Ferguson put his club firmly in control when he fired home a loose ball for a 2-0 lead.

The atmosphere inside Ibrox was electric after that. Rangers spent the final half-hour knocking the ball around, with Celtic struggling to keep pace and midfielder Evander Sno effectively missing in action.

It was Sno who sealed Celtic's fate by backing off the skillful Charlie Adam in the box—then tripping him as he carried past.

Novo converted to give Rangers a 3-0 lead with 10 minutes to go—but that wasn't the end of the controversy.

Rangers had a fourth goal disallowed on an offside call, but replays showed the goal should have been given. Another melee in the closing minutes left Celtic with their seventh, eighth, and ninth bookings of the match.

In any event, at least fans could say the game ended as it had began—with all the passion of an Old Firm Derby!