Matt O'Riley scored the opening goal as Celtic defeated Rangers 2-1 in the Old Firm derby, moving a step closer to the Scottish Premiership title. The 23-year-old midfielder netted his 16th goal of the season just after the half-hour mark, finishing a slick move involving Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi. O'Riley also had a penalty saved by Jack Butland, but his overall performance highlighted the gulf in midfield quality between the two sides.
Rangers' hopes were dealt a blow when John Lundstram received a red card for a challenge on Alistair Johnston. The midfielder, who also scored an own goal, had one of his worst days in a Rangers shirt. Manager Philippe Clement's attacking options off the bench failed to make an impact, with substitutes Scott Wright, Ross McCausland, and Nicolas Raskin having scored only a handful of goals between them this season.
O'Riley's contribution has been crucial for Celtic, with four goals in his last six league games. He has been a consistent performer despite transfer speculation linking him with Atletico Madrid. In contrast, Rangers have struggled for goals from midfield, with Tom Lawrence scoring three in 32 games and Lundstram managing two in 52 this season.
The result leaves Celtic needing just one point from their next match against Kilmarnock to secure the title, unless Rangers lose to Dundee earlier in the week. The SPFL may cancel the helicopter booking for next Saturday's fixtures, as the league could be decided midweek.
