One of the most captivating rivalries in global football, the clash between Celtic and Rangers remains fiercely intense. Their latest encounter marked the 111th Old Firm derby of the century, and despite the frequency of meetings, the mutual animosity remains undiminished. With Martin O’Neill back in charge, Celtic have regained the upper hand over their Glasgow rivals.
The hosts needed inspiration from their Southeast Asian contingent to mount a comeback after Mikey Moore’s early opener within the first 10 minutes. Hyun-jun Yang equalised midway through the first half, before Daizen Maeda struck twice in four minutes—including a stunning bicycle kick—to seal a convincing 3-1 victory at Parkhead.
The result brings Celtic within touching distance of Hearts, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Motherwell, with just two games left in the Scottish Premiership title race. O’Neill’s side have now recorded 58 wins over Rangers this century (since the 2000/01 season), compared to Rangers’ 35 victories and 18 draws. Celtic have outscored their rivals 187-141 in those 111 fixtures.
O’Neill’s personal record against Rangers is impressive: in his 28th match against the Gers, he secured his 16th win, equalling Brendan Rodgers’ tally, though Rodgers holds a superior points-per-game rate. His counterpart Danny Röhl has managed just one win in five games against Celtic.
Celtic have found form at the perfect moment, boasting the best record in the Scottish top flight since O’Neill was reinstalled as interim manager on January 5. From matchday 22 to 33, plus the first three games of the Premiership Top Six Split, the Bhoys have won 11 matches, amassing 35 points—hauling in Hearts by five points and collecting seven more than Rangers. Across all competitions, O’Neill has a points-per-game average of 2.38.
Will O’Neill remain at Celtic? At 74, few would be surprised if he steps down given the demands of managing Scotland’s most decorated club. When asked about his future, O’Neill replied “most likely” when questioned if this would be his last derby. However, he has rescued the Hoops from embarrassment following Brendan Rodgers’ acrimonious exit and Wilfried Nancy’s short-lived tenure.
Having already secured Old Firm bragging rights for another season, the title is now his target. If he caps his temporary spell with a fifth consecutive league crown, Celtic fans will surely plead for him to stay. Whether he can resist those calls remains to be seen.
