I watched Celtic beat Rangers and noted immaturity, Danny Rohl trolling and Scott McTominay competition

There were 57 minutes on the clock when Maeda contorted his body to meet a Connor Barron clearance. Celtic were 2-1 up on Rangers, having trailed earlier in the match, and the momentum had just shifted to the hosts. Perhaps the occasion inspired Maeda to do something we thought he wasn’t capable of. Sure, a never-ending battery, an energetic goalscorer, but not this. He doesn’t have the composure to launch a looping bicycle kick into the top corner of Jack Butland’s net. But that’s what he did. Back in your box, doubters.

Celtic Park has spent most of this season in a state of angst, but my word did the old stadium come together as one to celebrate such a moment, save for 2,000-odd punch-drunk Rangers fans in the corner. Maeda had slid in to net a Kieran Tierney cross to edge Celtic ahead four minutes earlier but this could be the moment that gives Celtic genuine impetus in the Premiership title race.

McTominay’s overhead kick against Denmark helped propel Scotland to the World Cup. Chermiti’s strike for Rangers was great at the time, in a March Old Firm derby at Ibrox, but it counts for little now. They are booked for third. Celtic will hope Maeda’s can be the catalyst for a league crown. They are now one point behind Hearts with two games to play. Beat Motherwell at Fir Park on Wednesday night and the final game of the season, on Saturday at home against Hearts, will be a title decider.

Pre-match, the Green Brigade unfurled an impressive tifo of a bloodied boxer in Celtic regalia with the words “we’ll fight it out until the end”. The team stayed true to those words. Rangers took an early lead via Mikey Moore and the hosts were on the ropes, their centre-half pairing of Auston Trusty and Liam Scales a little wobbly. But in a frantic and ferocious derby, Celtic found their way.

It wasn’t altogether straightforward. Rangers needed to win to breathe oxygen into title hopes on life support. Midfielder Nicolas Raskin missed out and Oliver Antman was a surprise starter for the visitors on the right flank as head coach Danny Rohl reshuffled his pack. The Finn was a peripheral figure, though. Chermiti and Moore offered threat in attack but behind them the all-too-familiar weakness of Rangers reared its head. Just like at Tynecastle six days earlier at Hearts, they blew a one-goal lead.

Rangers are an immature football team. Stacked with ability, they are not yet mentally ready to challenge for honours. That much is clear. They see out the season with a home game against Hibs and a trip to Falkirk. They will finish third, with either Europa League or Conference League football. No silverware. Again.

Celtic have won their past five league matches since a 2-0 defeat by Dundee United at Tannadice in mid-March. That has allowed them to stay on Hearts’ tail. It also shows that this is a grown-up football team, littered with experience and the minerals to maintain a title charge. There is still very little margin for error - defeat at Fir Park, where they lost 2-0 in December, would open the door for Hearts to become champions with a game to spare. But the energy is now positive for Celtic, not negative.

Celtic v Rangers refereeing decisions

Yang Hyun-jun’s 20th-minute goal was crucial to maintain that. Luke McCowan slipped Arne Engels in down the right and his cross was met sweetly by the South Korean. The goal survived a VAR check after Benjamin Nygren was spied in front of Rangers keeper Jack Butland, but there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn it.

Rangers may also have felt Celtic defender Alistair Johnston was fortunate to escape a red card for a fierce tackle on Moore. Referee Nick Walsh felt differently. Only a yellow. All square in every sense at the break.

Celtic were ruthless after it. They sensed a frailty in Rangers that has been seen too often of late. Ibrox captain James Tavernier, playing his last Old Firm game, was caught out by a ball over the top and Kieran Tierney raced on to it, slid in a low cross and Maeda bundled the ball beyond Butland.

The crowd got right behind Celtic and Maeda’s moment of sheer audacity, of brilliance, tipped them over the edge. It was a goal worthy to be bracketed alongside the great Henrik Larsson, Martin O’Neill’s striker during his halcyon reign more than 20 years ago.

O’Neill has often jested in press conferences that he would love to have the class of Larsson and Co to call upon. Maeda may not have the finesse of the Swede but he is dragging Celtic back towards the title. He leads the line with his pace and pressing, and lifts those around him. It is also worth noting that Yang, at times derided by Celtic fans, played very well and his goal took him into double figures for the season.

Rangers had no answer to that Maeda moment. They flapped around for a way back in, but the closest they came was a Bojan Miovski header that dunted the bar in stoppage time.

Celtic Park erupted at the full-time whistle. Party time, like the old days. The tannoy man played Daddy Cool to troll Rohl. Goodness knows what this place will be like in six days time if O’Neill guides them to title.

There is work still to do, though. Rangers have been eliminated but Hearts still hold superiority by a point and better goal difference of three. Motherwell is an assignment laced with peril and Hearts are warm favourites to beat Falkirk at Tynecastle at the same time.

With six goals in his past four games, Maeda remains their man. Anything feels possible with him. On to Lanarkshire, where steel and skill will be required again.