3 Celtic burning issues as Rangers are put to the sword

His surging run into the Rangers area, slaloming past three challenges, was the catalyst for a brilliantly timed equaliser, just when the hosts seemed to be swamping Celtic at Ibrox.

His cross found Tom Rogic, whose shot was blocked, and when Reo Hatate’s follow up effort was spilled by Allan McGregor, Rogic was there to tap home and silence the cacophonous din that had been roaring around the stadium.

From that point on, the Celtic skipper exerted his influence in the middle of the park, allowing his team to take control of the midfield and, ultimately, the game.

Time and again McGregor was there for his teammates, either offering them a way out of tight situations by picking up pockets of space, or helping them to double up on an opponent by offering defensive cover.

McGregor has always been a classy player, but perhaps not even he knew what he had him in when it came to stepping into the formidable shoes of Scott Brown in the summer. He has filled them, without a doubt, and now looks to be in pole position to lift a league title in his first season as captain.

Perhaps, even a Treble.

GIORGOS GIAKOUMAKIS SHOWED HE CAN CARRY THE FIGHT IN KYOGO’S ABSENCE

Kyogo was fit, and available, according to Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou prior to the game. He was, however, nowhere to be seen.

Despite his return to full training, the striker was left out of the squad, with Postecoglou trusting the red-hot Giorgos Giakoumakis to continue leading the line in his stead.

In the end, his performance here would be marked by his guts rather than his goals.

The Greek cut an isolated figure early on, barely getting a kick in the opening 25 minutes. He was working hard to get involved though, and pressured Leon Balogun into a mistake that gave Jota a shooting opportunity.

The first time he had a sniff of goal came seven minutes from the interval, as he attacked Jota’s clipped cross, but under pressure he could only direct his header wide.

He certainly knew he was in the game just before the interval when he was clattered by John Lundstram out on the far touchline. It led directly to Celtic’s second though, so he would probably think the prize was worth the pain in the end.

He would gain a measure of retribution, though against Ryan Jack, picking up Celtic’s first booking by clattering into the Rangers midfielder in the second half, showing he was more than game for the physical battle.

His hold-up play was invaluable for Celtic during a second half in which they looked content to sit off and ask the question of Rangers; could you break us down? They couldn’t, and it was Giakoumakis’s battling qualities that gave their defence some much-needed spells of respite when they were required.

His through ball to Liel Abada almost killed the contest, brilliantly picking out the winger as he tore in on goal, but the Israeli stumbled at the last to deny Giakoumakis an assist to add to his impressive all-round display.

He even found time to pop up at the other end and produce a great clearance from a Calvin Bassey cross that looked set to be headed home by Kemar Roofe. He might not be Kyogo, but he showed here that he brings plenty of his own qualities to the party.

CELTIC’S DEFENCE SHAKE OFF SET-PIECE WORRIES AS CARL STARFELT AND CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS STAND TALL

For all the talk of Celtic’s Achilles heel being the defending of set-pieces, it was Rangers who would come unstuck as they made a meal of Jota’s dead-ball delivery to allow the visitors to go in front, Cameron Carter-Vickers finishing after Leon Balogun’s weak defensive header.

And indeed, the Celtic defence stood strong to the challenge posed by Rangers when defending set-plays at the other end, Carter-Vickers and Carl Starfelt competing well and putting their head where it hurts when necessary.

Starfelt in particular has come in for stick at points in the early stages of his Celtic career, and both him and his defensive partner looked a little uncomfortable in the early stages here when pressed high by the Rangers attack.

Credit where it’s due though, just as they have slowly won over many of their doubters, so too did they warm to the challenge here, and by the end they could be proud of the way they stymied the threat of Roofe, Ryan Kent, et al.

When Celtic did lose the early goal, the finger couldn’t be pointed at either of the centre-backs, with Josip Juranovic the one who feel asleep in the right-back position as the ball was slipped in behind him for Kent, who had acres to pick out Aaron Ramsey to give Rangers the perfect start.

From the moment Tom Rogic equalised minutes later though, the Celtic backline generally looked unruffled, and they have to take an enormous amount of credit for the way they defended.

Given how shaky they looked at the start of the season, it has been quite the transformation