Celtic swat Rangers aside in one-sided Old Firm derby

Celtic swatted Old Firm rivals Rangers away with ease in a thumping Premiership win at Parkhead.

In a barnstorming first-half Liel Abada fired the home side after eight minutes and the Israel winger grabbed a second just before the break after Portuguese winger Jota had scored with a delightful chip.

The Hoops had opened up a 3-0 interval gap in this fixture in February and the result would have stayed the same this time had substitute David Turnbull not accepted a gift from Jon McLaughlin to shoot past the Gers goalkeeper for number four, sealing another sore Old Firm defeat for the Ibrox outfit.

After the first Old Firm game of the season and the sixth league fixture, Ange Postecoglou's side have a five-point lead over their city rivals and even so early in the season look on course to retain the title.

However, it did not start well for the home side. Within seconds of the kick-off Hoops striker Kyogo Furuhashi was challenged by Gers midfielder John Lundstram which left him holding his arm, and he soon had to be replaced by Giorgos Giakoumakis.

There was always the threat that Celtic could blow Rangers away in a quick start and by half-time the visitors were in a state of disarray.

The first-half mauling started with a quick throw-in on the left by Jota which found Matt O’Riley and his cutback saw Abada screw his shot past McLaughlin – who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it out.

A Ryan Kent challenge on Abada in the Rangers box brought shouts of a penalty by Hoops fans which were ignored by referee Nick Walsh, before Giakoumakis missed a great chance when he headed an O’Riley cross past the far post.

Rangers created and missed their first chance when Antonio Colak headed wide an inviting Borna Barisic cross in the