Inside the Rangers dressing room after Celtic defeat as Ben Davies reveals who did the talking

Ben Davies rued the same old sloppy start that caused more Old Firm pain for Rangers.

The Ibrox defender was left devastated after the lights on his team’s title chances were just about put out by Celtic. Entering the contest knowing a win would haul them level at the top of the table with two games to play, Philippe Clement’s team had it all on the line. It was a huge occasion. Motivation should have seen them burst from the traps. Instead, despite the enormity of the occasion and those massive incentives on offer, Rangers were caught short with another flat beginning.

In three previous Old Firm encounters this season, the Light Blues had lost the opening goal. Clement had warned against another hesitant opening in such a vital encounter, yet that messaging didn’t enter deaf ears. With Fabio Silva two fluffing chances against the run of play in the opening exchanges, Rangers were no better down the other end. Lazy covering allowed home star Matt O’Riley to hammer the critical breakthrough strike before John Lundstram’s misjudged attempt to deal with a Daizen Maeda cross left them with a mountain to climb once more.

Last month at Ibrox, Clement’s team recovered from 2-0 down to earn a draw and their hopes were briefly raised when Cyriel Dessers reduced the deficit. Yet Lundstram’s lack of self-discipline when crashing through Alistair Johnston meant that the mountain was just too steep.

The manager was frustrated at the latest slow start and Davies couldn’t disagree once it was all over. Clement has now been two-goals down in each of his three Old Firm games and the defender said: "We would have liked to have started the game better and taken the lead, but that wasn’t the case.

“I think it is difficult when you play