On Friday at Auchenhowie, Danny Rohl took a straight bat to the question he would have known was coming.
The final Old Firm clash of the season was all about making his own supporters proud and nothing to do with how taking something from it would adversely impact the opposition. It was a valiant attempt at diplomacy, but he was fooling no one.
From the instant Hearts defeated Rangers last Monday to all but end the title challenge of the Ibrox club, the only concern among fans of Rohl’s side has been that Celtic did not get what they could not have.
A lot of water has still to go under the bridge until we know if Martin O’Neill can pull off what would be the equivalent of a sporting heist.
If they somehow get there, though, Rohl’s inability to stop them in their tracks will be held against him until the day he leaves Glasgow. The way Rangers’ season has imploded on his watch, you wouldn’t be hugely surprised if that’s sooner rather than later.
You’ve got to hand it to Celtic. Clinging on by their fingertips when they lost at Tannadice seven weeks ago, they’ve won five straight league matches for the first time this season.
Daizen Maeda unleashes a sublime overhead effort to put Celtic 3-1 up on their bitter rivals
The equation is now clear; Win at Motherwell on Wednesday and against Hearts on Saturday and perhaps the unlikeliest title in their history will be theirs.
What a day this was for O’Neill, the veteran manager who started off his club’s domination of Scottish football at the turn of the century.
Second best and deservedly trailing to Mikey Moore’s opener, his side were apparently down and out in this gripping title race.
The character and willpower they demonstrated to get the job done was jaw-dropping, a throwback to the days when O’Neill’s all-conquering side lorded it over Rangers in this fixture.
Rangers, a team who habitually only turn up for one half of football matches, just had no answer to it.
Put level in controversial circumstances through Hyun-jun Yang midway through the first period, Celtic completely dominated their opponents in the second period.
It quickly turned into the Daizen Maeda show. The forward eased his side in front eight minutes after the restart by getting on his toes to bundle home a cross.
His second and his side’s third was utterly sublime, an improvised overhead kick which left Jack Butland without a prayer. It was as good a goal as this fixture has witnessed in many a long year.
Maeda leads the home celebrations at full-time as Celtic made a huge title statement
The scenes at the end were reminiscent of watching a side which has won the title. Celtic aren’t there yet, of course, but they will now believe the can pull this one out of the fire. A first win over Rangers in the league this season feels like the timeliest boost at the most opportune moment.
It was day for curveballs. O’Neill’s came with the introduction of Luke McCowan from the start at the expense of Seb Tounekti.
Rohl brought in Connor Barron, injured for so much of this season, to replace Nicolas Raskin, and also selected Oliver Antman, something of a forgotten man.
A giant tifo unfurled before the game by the Green Brigade of a boxer in Celtic colours felt apt. This was every inch a title eliminator.
So often in recent times these high-stakes affairs have made the eyes bleed. Not this one. It snapped and crackled from the first minute in the sunshine, ebbing and flowing, drama layered upon drama.
It had everything — one controversial goal, another of ridiculous quality, a raft of bookings. You could not take your eyes off it.
Maeda had put Celtic ahead for the first time with a well taken goal early in the second half
There was an edginess to Rangers at the outset. Butland spilled Arne Engels’ strike. The keeper was relieved that Maeda didn’t pounce.
The visitors steadied. Moore showed calmness to find Youssef Chermiti. The forward dragged his shot beyond the far post.
It was thunderous, summed up by Yang flooring Barron with a tackle.
Arriving on nine minutes, Rangers’ opener was a nightmare for McCowan. Slow to react to the press, he coughed up possession to Manny Fernandez.
Rangers advanced. Chermiti thought about going for goal then realised Moore was better placed. A calmly executed finish from a tight angle gave Viljami Sinisalo no chance.
How would Celtic respond? Initially, by turning the ball over and coming off second best in tackles. A second Rangers goal seemed more likely than an equaliser.
Liam Scales wasn’t to know Chermiti had handled the ball when he stretched to block Moore’s shot on the line.
Yang then showed extraordinary determination to ride three tackles and find Maeda. The forward only had to lift the ball over Butland. Instead, he pulled out wide of the target.
Mikey Moore had slotted home an early goal for Rangers but Danny Rohl’s men faded badly
Although Benjamin Nygren headed Kieran Tierney’s cross narrowly wide, Rangers had Celtic where they wanted them.
Or so they thought. If there’s one thing about these games, it’s that you are only ever a split second from triumph or disaster.
McCowan had struggled to get started. Full credit to him, then, for banishing that costly early error from his mind to thread a brilliant ball beyond the Rangers back line.
Engels picked it up. His cross was excellent, as was Yang’s finish. Was Nygren standing in an offside position in Butland’s line of sight? It looked like it. All that mattered was that VAR John Beaton thought otherwise. Celtic were level.
Soon after, they ought to have gone ahead. A cavalry charge had them four-on-two. But Nygren’s pass to McCowan lacked purchase and Fernandez got a vital toe in.
Celtic started the second half like a train. Nygren played a brilliant reverse pass across goal. Maeda was inches away from turning it home. But Rangers looked stung.
The second for the home side stemmed from a brilliant ball over the top by Scales. Played with enough backspin to hold up, it left James Tavernier appealing for an offside flag that was never coming.
Tierney didn’t give it up. His cross was superb. Maeda slid in ahead of Fernandez to put his side in front.
So often a thorn in the side of Rangers in these fixtures, Maeda wasn’t finished yet.
Two minutes later, Seb Tounekti, introduced at the break for McCowan, bobbed and weaved his way down the left flank. His cross caused panic in the visiting defence. Barron stuck out a foot and thought he’d done enough. Wishful thinking.
The pressure will now intensify on Ibrox boss Rohl, who has seen glory slip through his hands
With his back to goal, Maeda teed himself up for something that only he could have possibly imagined.
The execution of his overhead kick was breathtaking. It floated into the air and dropped into the far corner. Butland could only watch it nestle in his net.
For a few minutes Celtic were so far on top that a fourth felt almost inevitable. It didn’t arrive.
Rangers dug in. Rohl threw on sub after sub in search if the goal which would make for a nervy ending. Nasser Djiga thought he’d found it with a headed from a free-kick. Sinisalo watched it all the way.
Deep into injury time, Bojan Miovski smacked the bar with a header.
Destined for third on what was meant to be a two-horse race, Rangers’ season was already over. There’s a lot of life in Celtic’s yet.
