Paulo Bernardo is Celtic star born as fans still mourning Jota loss discover new Portuguese derby hero

Celtic fans were in a state of mourning after the loss of a Portuguese hero in the summer. But at Parkhead on Saturday a new one was born.

Former Hoops star Jota produced big moments in Old Firm derbies against Rangers. And young Paulo Bernardo came up with a cracker of his own here to help Brendan Rodgers' side secure victory over their Glasgow rivals. The on-loan Benfica kid struck a stunning first-half opener to put the champions in front. And there was an even better strike from Kyogo Furuhashi to make it 2-0 as he effectively sealed the points.

This was a huge victory for Rodgers' men who moved eight points clear at the top of the Premiership, albeit Rangers have two games in hand. But this result was about more than just positions or bragging rights.

With Rangers bang in form under new boss Philippe Clement, the narrative in the city has been about the Ibrox outfit potentially taking over. Instead, it was Celtic who reasserted their authority by claiming their second derby victory of the season - and unbeaten run. It was a miserable day all round for the Belgian boss who also saw defender Leon Balogun sent off in the second half.

Neither side were able to field a full-strength starting line-up due to injuries. By kick-off the snow had disappeared and it was red hot inside Celtic Park. As you'd expect, the champions started at a frenetic pace. And their two attacking midfielders - Bernardo and Matt O'Riley - were the ones causing Rangers problems.

Celtic's first chance came from a simple ball over the top of Gers' defence which Kyogo latched on to. The angle was tight but he still managed to force Jack Butland into his first save. Bernardo then darted into the box to head a Luis Palma cross wide then flashed a shot