Rangers rock crisis-ridden Celtic with stunning comeback to heap more pressure on Wilfried Nancy

Celtic led at the break thanks to Yang Hyun-jun’s opener, but paid for missing a raft of good chances as Rangers roared back in the second period. Chermiti struck twice by the hour mark and then Mikey Moore put the game beyond doubt.

Angry Celtic fans turned on the club’s board and Nancy after the third goal. The French coach has won two and lost six of his opening games and serious questions will now be raised as to whether his position in charge of Celtic remains tenable.

This was the first “statement” win for Rangers under head coach Danny Rohl, who replaced Russell Martin in October. They move level on 38 points with Celtic in the Premiership and are third only on goals scored. League leaders Hearts are three points clear of both Glasgow clubs and were due to host Livingston at Tynecastle at 3pm later on Saturday.

Celtic dominated the first half but will hugely regret only having Yang’s 20th-minute opener to show for their efforts.

Auston Trusty headed wide from a corner on 14 minutes and Johnny Kenny shot straight at Rangers keeper Jack Butland after a good cross from Daizen Maeda, although they did take the lead a minute later when Yang slalomed past static Rangers players and lashed a high effort that beat Butland at his near post.

Butland did better when saving low down from a Kenny effort on 32 minutes, while Emmanuel Fernandez was forced to hook a Yang header off his own goalline.

Rangers roar back after poor first half

Rangers were error-strewn and meek in midfield, with Celtic getting a lot of joy down both flanks. The closest they came to scoring in the first half was on 26 minutes when Djeidi Gassama broke free and tried to dink the ball over Kasper Schmeichel, only for the Celtic keeper to tip the ball away. Mikey Moore also had an effort ruled out for offside on the stroke of half time.

Rangers regrouped after the break and found the leveller on 50 minutes. Nicolas Raskin skipped down the right, got to the byline and cut the ball back for Chermiti to net from close range.

Butland had to dive at the feet of Maeda three minutes later and Celtic sought to re-establish their advantage. The keeper then turned a Yang header over the bar.

Celtic were made to pay for those misses. Chermiti dispossessed Anthony Ralston after a throw-in and scampered in on goal unchallenged. While Schmeichel got a foot to the shot, he could not keep the ball out and Rangers had the lead on the hour mark.

Maeda was the next to go close for Celtic with a left-footed strike that whistled a fraction past the post. It was another costly moment. Rangers extended their lead further on 71 minutes when Gassama fed Moore and the Spurs loanee drilled the ball low past Schmeichel.

The Celtic fans immediately turned on the hierarchy, with fans in the vicinity of the directors box turning their ire towards chief executive Michael Nicholson and Co.

Celtic tried to find a response but it was in vain. Rangers saw the game out comfortably, with the band of travelling fans cheering loudly.

It now remains to be seen if Celtic will stick by their beleaguered manager Nancy, whose pre-match call for time to turn the team around may fall on deaf ears.