Rangers Ignite Title Race with Back-to-Back Wins Over Celtic

Rangers’ back‑to‑back wins over Celtic have lit a fuse under the title race – and their support can feel it.

Two derby victories in the space of a week have dragged Derek McInnes’ side to within two points of their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premiership, and the mood among fans has flipped from hopeful to bullish.

The beginning for Rangers – and the beginning of the end for Celtic

For Derek, this doesn’t feel like a blip. It feels like a turning point.

"It's the beginning for Rangers and the beginning of the end for Celtic," he says, summing up the surge of belief in the stands. What excites him isn’t just the scorelines, but the identity he sees taking shape: a team built on work rate, physicality and direct running, with a strong bond running through the squad.

Up front, Ryan Naderi has become the symbol of that shift, leading the line with power and relentlessness. At the back, Olwethu Makhanya already looks like a steal, calm in the chaos of an Old Firm cauldron. “Unflappable,” as Derek puts it – and in this fixture, that’s no small compliment.

One goal, total control

Louise admits she wasn’t sure lightning could strike twice after last weekend’s win. Then Rangers walked into Parkhead and did it again.

“What a performance,” she says. Makhanya and Naderi drew the eye, but for her it was the control in midfield that set the tone. Dan Neil dictated the tempo, while Dujon Sterling delivered what she felt was his best display in a Rangers shirt.

The scoreline stayed tight, yet Louise felt the gap in quality was anything but. With sharper finishing and more composure in the final third, she believes the margin could have been embarrassing for Celtic. “It could have been a cricket score,” she says. In the end, one goal was enough – enough to quieten Parkhead and enough to send a message.

To her, this is a Rangers side that has “grown up very quickly” and finally shown what it can be. McInnes, in her eyes, has now “made his mark” as manager. The plea from the stands is clear: whatever comes next, he must be given the time and backing to build on this.

Midfield masters and a manager outfoxed

Sally’s focus goes straight to the engine room. Last week, she watched Dan Neil run the show. This time, it was Nico Raskin’s turn to boss the midfield.

Naderi again earns high praise for his work up front, while Djeidi Gassama, she notes, was desperately unlucky not to score with his effort on goal. The bigger surprise for her came in the dugout. She expected McInnes to tweak his approach, and she expected Celtic to react to the previous result. Neither happened. The same plan, the same problems for Celtic – and the same outcome.

Makhanya wins over a sceptic

Chris was one of those who needed convincing when Makhanya arrived. Not anymore.

He watched the defender stroll through this latest derby like it was “a kick about in the back garden with the kids”. The disallowed goal only added to the sense of a player brimming with confidence; Chris calls the finish “absolutely stunning”, even if it didn’t count.

Two wins, two statements, and a title race suddenly alive. Rangers have closed the gap. The question now is whether Celtic can respond, or if this really is the moment the balance of power begins to tilt.