Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy is surely standing on the precipice after Old Firm rivals Rangers came from behind to win 3-1 at Parkhead.
Hoops fans had turned on the French coach after just two wins in seven games as boss and he had pleaded for time.
It looked like he was catching a break when South Korea international Yang Hyun-jun scored a terrific solo goal in the 20th minute of a William Hill Premiership game dominated by the home side.
However, in a remarkable second-half turnaround, Rangers’ much-maligned £8m striker Youssef Chermiti scored twice in nine minutes before Mikey Moore added a third in the 71st minute to leave Celtic stunned.
Hoops fans remain in a battle with the club’s boardroom and that will continue in tandem with their quest to rid the club of the former Columbus Crew boss Nancy, who must be on borrowed time.
Danny Rohl has rejuvenated Rangers in terms of league results since taking over from Russell Martin but this was a statement win for the German coach as his side went level on points with second-placed Celtic.
The day started positively for the home side.
After an anxious start, Celtic took a grip and in the 14th minute Hoops defender Auston Trusty headed a Luke McCowan corner past the post when he should have hit the target at least.
Then, from a Daizen Maeda cross, striker Johnny Kenny hit the ball straight at Jack Butland.
The Gers keeper had no chance when Yang took a throw-in on the right to midfielder Benjamin Nygren, took the return and then raced through the porous Gers defence before firing high into the net from 12 yards.
The champions grew in confidence but in the 25th minute Celtic keeper Kasper Schmeichel blocked a chip from Gers winger Djeidi Gassama after he had raced on to a Nico Raskin pass and the corner came to nothing.
Butland saved another driven effort from Kenny and after a melee the Gers goal escaped again.
Moore had the ball in the net from close range in first-half added time but provider Chermiti was offside from a Butland punt.
Rohl replaced the ineffective midfielder Thelo Aasgaard with Mohamed Diomande but Celtic threatened first with skipper Callum McGregor firing just wide of the target from 20 yards following a cleared corner.
However, Rangers moved away down the right initially through Dujon Sterling, in for skipper James Tavernier, and when Raskin reached the by-line he cut the ball back for Chermiti to knock the ball in from a yard out.
Celtic responded quickly and Butland thwarted Maeda who had found space in the Gers box, before tipping a header from Yang over the bar.
However, in the 59th minute Chermiti robbed Celtic full-back Anthony Ralston on the touchline and raced clear down the left flank – Trusty did not attempt to intercept – and into the box to beat Schmeichel with a drive.
Minutes later, Maeda again had a chance and missed the target with a low effort.
McCowan was replaced by new right-back arrival Julian Araujo, who has joined on loan from Bournemouth, but Moore soon picked up a pass from Gassama and drilled a shot past Schmeichel and into the far corner of the net.
Celtic fans exploded in anger, “sack the board” chants resurfaced, and many had left before the final whistle allowed just over 2,000 Gers fans to celebrate a victory that looked unlikely at the interval.
PA
