Celtic lost to Rangers again. They have now lost 0-1 at Celtic Park on Sunday in a match corresponding to Matchweek 7 of the Scottish Premiership.
It is worth remembering that in the most recent edition of the Old Firm Derby, Celtic had already suffered a resounding 0-3 defeat in the League Cup quarterfinals.
Although this does not justify the poor level of football the Hoops have shown this season, former Scottish Premiership referee Bobby Madden has told them that Rangers player Emanuel Fernández should have received a red card on Sunday at Parkhead.
The argument is that the defender had already been booked when he stopped a promising attack around the 17th minute of the match, when the score was still 0-0.
Rangers Outshoot Celtic 15-5 in Derby Win
In any case, that does not change the facts: Rangers recorded 15 shots, while Celtic attempted only five. The Hoops’ expected goals (xG) over 90 minutes reached 0.71, while Rangers had 1.23, despite having less possession (45%).
The match tilted in Rangers’ favor when German player Ryan Don Naderi scored in the 33rd minute. Naderi also had the most touches of the ball in the opposition’s box (9) and attempted the most shots (4).
Since the defeat against Ferencvaros in the UEFA Europa League, people have been calling for Martin O’Neill to be sacked on social media. The coach himself stated after this latest derby against Rangers that, for him, it is not a disastrous situation and that this is a time for self-reflection.
What’s Next for Celtic?
Next up for Celtic, they will have a much-needed break due to the September and first-week-of-October international break, but next month will be very busy, with six matches on the calendar starting Oct. 11, when they visit Motherwell for Matchweek 8 of the Scottish Premiership.
On Oct. 15, they will visit Benfica for another matchday of the UEFA Europa League, and just three days later, they will host Hearts at Celtic Park for Matchweek 9 of the league.
On Oct. 22, they will host Celta Vigo for Matchday 3 of the Europa League, before visiting Hibernian for Matchweek 10 of the league on Oct. 24.
They will finish the month on Oct. 28, when they host Dundee United for Matchweek 11 of the Scottish Premiership.
The coming days will be key for the club’s board, coaching staff, and sporting management to act on the remainder of the season. Let’s see what happens.
Referee Told Celtic That Rangers Deserved Red Card in Derby