Celtic’s dominance over Rangers this season perhaps shouldn’t have been a surprise. For all the bluster coming out of Ibrox last summer, Hoops fans were always confident that with the arrival of Brendan Rodgers the season was going to be a memorable one.
Still though, the manner in which the Hoops saw off their city rivals must be applauded. They did it with a style and a swagger that was wonderful to watch across three competitions, not given them an inch to work with along the way.
Stars like Moussa Dembele, Stuart Armstrong and Scott Sinclair made themselves heroes with supporters and the likes of Callum McGregor proved that players can come through the development squads to become huge figures in the fixture.
Five derby victories out of six available, with no defeats, is quite the record and memories have been made for a lifetime for many players and fans.
These photos sum up what has been an incredible journey for Brendan Rodgers’ side in Scottish football’s showpiece fixture this season…
Demolition derby
After last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Rangers, Celtic had a lot to prove in the opening fixture between the two sides this term.
This came at a time when Gers fans were still confident about Mark Warburton and his team. It seems like a lifetime ago now.
Those hopes were quickly dashed by the incredible performance of Moussa Dembele, scoring a hat-trick for the first time in the derby for decades upon decades. He announced his arrival as a wonderful prospect, slaying Rangers with incredibly well taken goals.
Upon scoring the third he wheeled away in celebration and held up three fingers for the three goals, clearly enjoying his day’s work. It’s a photo that’s been re-posted on social media all season and will always be a reminder for fans of a huge 5-1 victory.
Semi-final drama
The two sides next met in the Scottish League Cup final and although the scoreline wouldn’t suggest it, the Hoops were every bit as dominant in the fixture as that first 5-1 game at Celtic Park. Far from looking scared on neutral ground at Hampden, like they did against Waburton’s side last season, the Hoops took the game to the Gers and knocked on the door for 85 minutes without success.
Leigh Griffiths then wriggled away from his marker, chased down a high ball forward and delightfully poked a pass across the box for Moussa Dembele to arrogantly back-hell through two players’ legs and into the net to provide the victory.
It sent the green half of Hampden into pandemonium. Dembele and Griffiths led the celebrations, rejoicing in what they’d done, jumping into the crowd and generally going ballistic. This photo captures that elation perfectly.
New Years’ Eve party
At Ibrox on 31st December, Rangers did the unthinkable and actually went ahead in the fixture, blitzing the Hoops in the first half an hour of the game. Brendan Rodgers’ side, for the first time all season in domestic action, looked a little vulnerable in that period.
However, it was again Moussa Dembele who made his mark on the derby, equalising with a fierce effort into the top corner. From that point on there was only going to be one winner.
Rangers battled hard into the second half but when Scott Sinclair converted from a low cross, six yards out, he sent the Broomloan Stand into a sea of celebration. It gave the Hoops the victory and put the league title pretty much out of sight for Mark Warburton and his side, sparking the beginning of the end of the Englishman’s reign at Ibrox.
The treble is on
A brief respite for Rangers in the fixture occurred in March when they salvaged an unlikely 1-1 draw at Celtic Park in league action. The result ultimately meant little but was heralded as a sign that the Gers may be turning things around on their old foes this season.
That illusion was shattered when the two met in their second semi-final of the season at Hampden in the prestigious Scottish Cup. With the Hoops gunning for a treble and Rangers looking for a coveted major honour, Celtic romped to a 2-0 victory that in truth could have been a much heavier scoreline.
Brendan Rodgers’ men made it look like a training exercise in the first half and Callum McGregor’s classy finish early on set the stage for the most comfortable of victories.
It meant that there would be no inspiration at the start of Pedro Caixinha’s time at Ibrox and that the treble was most definitely on for the Hoops. A huge moment in their season.
Demolition Derby II
Despite hammering them in the semi-final just a week prior, nobody really predicted Celtic would be able to be as dominant just six days later when nothing was on the line. However, with the pressure off and a noisy away support to please, Celtic turned on the style to provide the most accomplished derby performance of the entire season.
Five different scorers on the day trounced the Gers as they suffered their second 5-1 defeat at the hands of Celtic this season, one of the biggest ever losses at Ibrox in the fixture.
It truly was party time for Celtic and the fans and when Callum McGregor made it 3-0 early in the second half they all joined together, arm in arm, shoulder to should. You can see in this photo how much it meant.
