What the pundits said about Rangers and Celtic as Kris Boyd flips the script on 'crisis' narrative - Daily Record

These derby showdowns always get tongues wagging and Sunday was no different.

Rangers outmuscled Celtic at Ibrox and claimed a 1-0 victory thanks to Filip Helander's second-half header.

It wasn't a classic and both teams will feel they didn't reach anything quite like their best, but the Premiership champions just about edged it with a stronger display after the interval.

Pundits have been lining up to offer their tuppence worth on the fixture, and we've compiled the best of the reaction.

Barry Ferguson

The Rangers legend reckons his former club have silenced a few doubters.

He told Go Radio: “I believe that there was a lot of noise saying can Rangers handle playing in front of fans.

“It wasn’t a perfect performance, but the second half was a lot stronger, an they got the vital three points.

“So, they’ve shut a lot of people up for me.”

Derek Ferguson

Another former Rangers star, Ferguson commended Steven Gerrard 's side for a much better second period performance.

He said on BBC Sportsound: "Rangers will be delighted.

"I thought Celtic had the better of the first half. Edouard has that glorious chance he should put away, I think it is a sign of a striker lacking confidence.

“What ever Gary McAllister said to Rangers at half time fired them up, they were much better in the second half.

“Barisic was a bit indifferent with his deliveries but he delivered a great ball in for Helander, who finished with an excellent header.

“Putting Kyogo for Celtic through the middle, his movement is brilliant. Helander and Goldson found it hard to deal with him, with one he should have crossed and he shot.

“But we have to give a lot of credit to McCrorie in goals. He was asked to produce a couple of times this afternoon and he managed that.”

Michael Stewart

The former Hearts and Manchester United midfielder offered his thoughts on Twitter, insisting there was little between the teams.

He wrote: "Fine margins in a very close game between the two Glasgow clubs. Stephen Welsh is the man who was picking up Helander at corners and lost him at the vital moment."

Mark Wilson

The ex-Celtic defender reckons Ange Postecoglou will be irked by his team's defending for Helander's winner.

He said on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard: "When Ange Postecoglou analyses the game, sits down and watches the game he’ll be frustrated at bits, but the main thing is the the goal.

"It was someone’s personal responsibility to pick up a man, match him, and do their job and they failed.

"That is what cost Celtic today."

John Hartson

The big Welshman, too, was critical of Celtic's defending from the setpiece that allowed Helander to head home the winner.

Hartson told Sky Sports: “I don’t think they’re marking.

"Celtic are zonal marking because if you’re man-marking, you can’t let Helander get a run from the edge of the box. The defender’s got to go close to him.

“If you look at Helander, he runs from really deep and he arrives. So how Celtic don’t see Helander on the edge of the box, nobody marking him, is beyond me.

"Someone’s got to block his run and be cleverer, and Starfelt, capped by Sweden, he’s come in, alright it’s early in his Celtic career, but it’s happened too many times. That’s about the fourth or fifth bad call that Starfelt has made.

“It’s in his zone, and when the ball comes into that zone you show responsibility and character and you go and head it. That’s the type of defenders I’ve always played with, both down south and at Celtic.”

Kris Boyd

The former Rangers striker reckons the result was a reality check for a Celtic team who were well fancied heading into the game.

He said on Sky Sports: "In terms of Celtic, people have been getting carried away.

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"They St Mirren 6-0, they beat Dundee 6-0, they'd lost the same amount of games to Rangers before this game started but Rangers were the club in crisis.

"Only in Glasgow that would happen, as I said, four games played in the league this season and Celtic have lost two of them.

"I would say they are the ones who have got the problems."