A heroic performance from Allan McGregor and a cracker from Steven Davis helped Rangers strengthen their dominance over Celtic as the Ibrox side advanced to the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.
Steven Gerrard’s team was responsible for a fiery first half and went on when Davis – the 36-year-old Davis – opened the scoring with an acrobatic overhead kick.
? @ StevenDavis8? Pic.twitter.com/7FDQQ18A45
– Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) April 18, 2021
Celtic responded well but rejected two or three good chances before Jonjoe Kenny turned Joe Aribo’s cross into his own net to send the Rangers at halftime comfortably in the lead.
The other half was the Allan McGregor show. The goalkeeper, who turns 40 next year, pulled off a series of incredible stops to keep Odsonne Edouard and Moi Elyounoussi away. Celtic seemed to have a lifeline when Leigh Griffiths went down in the box, but even that did not hit the inspired stopper who sent Edouard’s spot kick at the post.
Odsonne Édouard’s penalty is saved by Allan McGregor! ?
A massive stop from the Rangers goalkeeper and a big blow to the Celtics’ chances of coming back? #ScottishCup #RANCEL pic.twitter.com/z6cGDrOJXS
– Premier Sports? (@PremierSportsTV) April 18, 2021
So it’s the match man sorted … what about the rest of the players?
McGregor denies Elyounoussi | Ian MacNicol / Getty Images
Allan McGregor (GK) – 10/10 – Decent result, no doubt.
Nathan Patterson (RB) – 7/10 – It is never easy to get in for a right-back, whose goals and assistance put most strikers to shame, but Patterson looked like a skilled deputy once again.
Connor Goldson (CB) – 7/10 – Strong performance at the heart of the backline. Cleaned things up and kept Edouard confined to scrap.
Helander (CB) – 6/10 – Lack of pace was sometimes exposed but generally looked comfortable.
Borna Barisic (LB) – 6/10 – Unusually quiet on the ball when Rangers focused their attacks on the right. Deal well with everything that came his way.
Steven Davis opens the scoring for Rangers with style | Ian MacNicol / Getty Images
Glen Kamara (CM) – 6/10 – Busy, lively performance. Not the most influential in Rangers midfield but a big part of what makes them tick.
Steven Davis (CM) – 8/10 – Drove the show and deserves bonus points for not moving his hip with a bold cost. The man is 36 years old.
Scott Arfield (CM) – 6/10 – A few moments of real quality shone through even though he was not at his absolute best.
Aribo firar | Ian MacNicol / Getty Images
Joe Aribo (RW) – 8/10 – Looked unstoppable on the ball. Created both goals and took Diego Laxalt to the cleaners.
Alfredo Morelos (CF) – 6/10 – Underestimated by his standards. Often fights against Celtic and this was no exception.
Ryan Kent (LW) – 7/10 – Bright, lively and within inches of getting a goal to its name before Kenny turned it into his own net.
81 ‘SUB: Change for Rangers | 2-0
➡️ ON: Kemar Roofe⬅️ BY: Alfredo Morelos
– Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) April 18, 2021
Kemar Roe (Morelos, 80) – 6/10
Kris Ajer challenges Alfredo Morelos | Ian MacNicol / Getty Images
Scott Bain (GK) – 6/10 – Pretty quiet when he was not picking the ball out of the back of his net.
Jonjoe Kenny (RB) – 5/10 – Bad luck with your own goal but should really have been the landing page in Kent.
Stephen Welsh (CB) – 6/10 – Have ambitions for a debut in Scotland soon and do not look wrong on the Celtic side. Made a mess of an early sitter who should have gotten his team level.
Kris Ajer (CB) – 6/10 – Lack of communication with Laxalt cost Celtic a few times and led directly to the second goal.
Diego Laxalt (LB) – 4/10 – Did not get much coverage in front of him and fought desperately against the cool duo Aribo and Patterson. Subbed at half time.
David Turnbull goes down during the challenge from Filip Helander | Ian MacNicol / Getty Images
Scott Brown (CM) – 5/10 – His Celtic career ended with a move to Aberdeen which has now been confirmed. Maybe just in time – the captain looks his best.
Callum McGregor (CM) – 6/10 – Covered a lot of ground and kept Celtic ticking in possession. Functional performance.
David Turnbull (AM) – 5/10 – He may well be Celtic’s player for the season but the kid struggled to influence things here. Got a license to roam but did not get much replacement of a robust Rangers unit.
Edouard sees his penalty saved | Ian MacNicol / Getty Images
Ryan Christie (RW) – 4/10 – Pretty anonymous.
Odsonne Edouard (CF) – 5/10 – Summed up the Celtics afternoon when he shot a volley over with the goal gaping. Summed up the Celtics afternoon again when he missed a penalty late.
Mohamed Elyounoussi (LW) – 6/10 – Caused some trouble running drive into the box. Celtic’s best striker of the day but that really does not say much.
? #CelticFC sub:
⬅️ @Moielyo ➡️ Albian Ajeti
? 2⃣-0️⃣? #RANCEL #ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/FvgFBx0F88
– Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) April 18, 2021
Greg Taylor (Laxalt, 45) – 6/10
Leigh Griffiths (Christie, 73) – 6/10
Albian Ajeti (Elyounoussi, 86) – N / A
