Gerrard Savours Biggest Win As Rangers End Celtic Park Hoodoo

By Daily Sports on December 29, 2019

Steven Gerrard hailed Rangers' 2-1 win at Celtic as the best feeling of his managerial career so far as the blue side of Glasgow won an Old Firm clash on enemy soil for the first time since 2010.

Ryan Kent and Nikola Katic struck either side of Odsonne Edouard's controversial equaliser to take control of the Scottish Premiership title race.

Gerrard's men still trail Celtic by two points, but have a game in hand on the Scottish champions as they aim to end a run of eight straight league titles for the green-and-white half of Glasgow.

"It feels the best right now," said the former Liverpool captain on whether this was his biggest win since taking charge 18 months ago.

"It's emotional. You can see in my reaction after the game. It's a big moment for the team, for the club, it's been through too much pain here."

Celtic were left to rue Ryan Christie's penalty miss with the score at 0-0 as they suffered a first home league defeat since May 2018.

Rangers dominated the League Cup final between the sides earlier this month, but a host of missed chances and a stunning goalkeeping performance from Fraser Forster won 10-man Celtic the trophy.

However, Gerrard believes his side's performance in that match laid the foundations to get their reward this time around.

"Celtic took a trophy away from us, but we've come away with huge belief from that game," added Gerrard.

"That's why we've come here, took the game to Celtic and got a lot of joy from it."

After a bright start from the visitors, it was Celtic who were gifted a huge chance to take the lead just after the half-hour mark when Katic was penalised for holding Christopher Jullien from a corner.

Christie struck his penalty low and hard but Alan McGregor got down to his left to turn the ball to safety.

Just as the hosts were beginning to take control, Rangers scored their first goal against their bitter rivals in three games this season when Kent smashed Borna Barisic's low cross in off the post.

The lead lasted just six minutes, though, as luck shined on Celtic when Callum McGregor's shot deflected in off the arm of Edouard and was not spotted by referee Kevin Clancy.

Alfredo Morelos has scored 28 goals this season but had another Old Firm derby to forget as the Colombian has still not netted in 12 meetings against Celtic and was sent-off for the seventh time in two seasons deep into stoppage time.

Morelos had a huge chance to restore Rangers' lead early in the second half but spooned over after a brilliant low cross from Kent left the goal at his mercy.

Rangers had to wait just six minutes longer to get back in front as they peppered the Celtic goal with a series of set-pieces and the pressure paid off when Katic powered home a Barisic corner.

"Big moments decide big games and you cannot give a guy a free header in our box," said Celtic manager Neil Lennon.

Morelos saw red for the second time in three games with virtually the last action of the game as he was shown a second yellow card for diving inside the area.

However, Rangers comfortably saw out the final stages to snap Celtic's 11-game winning streak in the league and set up a thrilling title race when the action resumes in the new year after a three-week winter break.

"I think they need a rest. We were not at our best today," added Lennon.

"They've got to get really hungry now. We are not prepared to give up anything and we won't." (AFP)

•Celebrating Rangers players

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 29, 2019


 

You may also like...
Referendum: Ramos blasts Pique

Ferguson Joins United Squad On Flight To Europa...

Report: Napoli May Sell Koulibaly For €50m

Ronaldo Missing as Juventus Suffer First Serie A...

Naomi Osaka Thanks Fans For Showing Her Love...

Dream Stars Ladies Beat Invincible Angels To Keep...

 

Latest News Anambra School Sports Festival Ends In Emotional Grand Style As Njikoka Emerge Champions Club W’Cup: Chelsea face travel woes after group stage upset Lyon included in Ligue 1 fixtures despite demotion Adesanya eyes Strickland fight for UFC return Wilder ends losing streak, but questions linger Brentford reject Man Utd's new £62.5m Mbeumo bid After 31 Years, FG Hands Over Houses To 1994 Super Eagles Heroes Ronaldo signs new deal with Saudi club Al-Nassr Leicester part company with manager Van Nistelrooy 'Wilder v Paul next? You wouldn't flinch' UFC fighters to receive up to $1m in settlement payout 17 States Confirm Plans To host Olympic Day

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,552 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,713 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,728 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (44,322 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,322 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (44,312 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (44,116 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,658 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,768 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,380 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,824 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (39,249 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media