On This Day in 2018, Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic travelled to Ibrox to face Graeme Murty’s Rangers in a top of the table clash that had been built up for weeks. Rangers were tipped as favourites for the game in the media and this was aided by the fact that Celtic had a number of potential absences for the game with Mikel Lustig, Leigh Griffiths and first choice keeper Craig Gordon.
On the day of the game, it was confirmed that Celtic were without Dorus De Vries and, with Gordon out, meant that third choice keeper, Scott Bain, was called upon from the start. The on-loan Dundee goalie would make his debut at Ibrox. However, it was a disastrous start for the Celtic backline after Josh Windass dispossessed the returning Dedryck Boyata towards the half-way line and broke away, scoring with a high effort into the net.
Celtic would settle down and equalise after a simply sublime effort from Tom Rogic. The Australian, a big game player, collected the ball and fired a curling effort into the net from way outside the box. The goal would put Rodgers’ side on level terms but force Rangers to make a sub after Rogic caught Bates with the followthrough of his shot.
Rangers progressed down Celtic’s right and had an equaliser after a cross found its way through Celtic bodies and Candeias was able to net from close-range. The lead was to be short-lived after Scott Brown’s lofted pass through for Moussa Dembele allowed the Frenchman to bully two defenders and scoop the ball over Fotheringham to make it 2-2.
The second half saw a settled Celtic look to create openings and control the Ibrox support. They were doing fine at this until Jozo Simunovic was adjudged to have put an elbow in Alfredo Morelos’ face. Rodgers responded to going down to ten men by switching to a 4-3-2 formation to limit Rangers pushing forward. Odsonne Edouard was brought on for James Forrest. The Frenchman was on the end of a brilliant Celtic move to bend in a fantastic effort and put Celtic 3-2 up.
Celtic managed to see the game out, even if Rangers did have a glorious chance to even up through Morelos at the death but he hit the post and Scott Bain was able to collect.
