Celtic are flying high under Brendan Rodgers and eased past their arch-rivals Rangers in the first Old Firm Derby of the season. Rangers were back in the Premiership after their four-year absence since their liquidation and the stage was nicely set for the first Old Firm Derby in the first tier of Scottish football since 2012 but it turned out to be a one-sided affair. In absence of their first-choice striker Leigh Griffiths, Celtic fans were a bit worried about the game but Moussa Dembele lived
In the absence of their first-choice striker Leigh Griffiths, Celtic fans were a bit worried about the game but Moussa Dembele lived up to the big occasion and scored a sensational hat-trick on his Old Firm debut. Scott Sinclair and Stuart Armstrong also got their names on the scoresheet while Rangers’ only goal of the game came from Joe Garner. Here are three talking points from this incredibly one-sided game.
Another easy ride for Celtic for the title?
Celtic are boasting five back to back Premiership titles and four of those were during Rangers’ absence from the first division. With Rangers coming back to the Premiership, it was thought to be an end to Celtic’s monopoly in the Premiership from what it seems so far, it looks like another one-horse race already. Celtic have won 4-1 against last two seasons’ runners up Aberdeen and 5-1 against Rangers in the last two games and looks too good for the Premiership. Rangers are far from a team capable of challenging Celtic’s domestic throne.
Send-Off-Eros
‘Nightmare’ won’t be word perfect enough to describe the kind of debut Philippe Senderos had. Rangers’ deadline day capture, the Swiss international, was directly thrown into the starting XI of the Gers by Warburton due to his immense experience of gracing the pitch for clubs like Arsenal, Milan, Everton, Valencia but he let the manager down. Moussa Dembele made him look like a fool for the second goal. He made himself look like a fool after that by getting carried away to the atmosphere of the derby and get himself booked twice. After such a horrific debut, a question mark appears on the Swissman’s future endeavours at the back.
A big dilemma for Rodgers!
Moussa Dembele, after his move from Fulham this summer, was mostly seen as a second fiddle to Leigh Griffiths so far but after such a stunning hat-trick, Rodgers will find it hard to bench him when Griffiths is back. With the likes of Rogic, Forrest, Sinclair all in form, Rodgers going for a 2-man attack will be a tricky choice too. Dembele made a big statement by grabbing his chance when it came his way and we have to wait and see how Rodgers keeps each of his players happy.
