Rangers vs Celtic match report: Scott Sinclair's winner moves Brendan Rodgers' side 19 points clear

Rangers 1 Celtic 2: Kenny Miller gave the hosts an early lead but, for the third time this season, Rangers were defeated by their Old Firm rivals

Sinclair struck the winner in the 70th minute (Getty)

Some things never change. A fast, furious, frenetic Old Firm encounter contained a goal for Kenny Miller, a booking for Scott Brown and a victory for Celtic. So the year ended as it began with Celtic utterly dominant, as they have been for the last five years – they remain streets ahead of the rest. This was Rangers best performance in three games this season against Celtic but it still ended in a third defeat.

Celtic lead the Premiership by 19 points. Miller gave Rangers an early lead to reward a fine opening by the home side. Celtic were slow to get into the game but 10 minutes before half-time Moussa Dembele bludgeoned in an equaliser and changed the course of the match. Celtic took a firm grip on the contest and did not let go. There was an air of inevitability about Scott Sinclair’s winner.

Rangers, with five men buzzing across midfield ahead of a back three, were bright from the start, surging forward on a wave of noise. Barrie Mackay ran at a Celtic defence that has rarely been troubled on domestic duty and the visitors were rattled. Erik Sviatchenko gave the ball away and was relieved to see his error go unpunished but after 12 minutes the Dane erred again. This time Rangers made him pay. Josh Windass slid an immaculate ball through Celtic’s startled backline, James Tavernier did not have to break stride and matched Windass’s accuracy with his low cross. It was meat and drink for Miller. He steered in a ninth goal in 17 Old Firm appearances.

Miller slid in to convert Tavernier's cross and open the scoring (Getty)

As Ibrox celebrated Joe Garner was carried off having injured his shoulder in the build-up to the goal and replaced by Martyn Waghorn. The switch had no effect on Rangers. Mackay was quick and direct while Windass and Andy Halliday dominated the centre of the park – again a unique experience for Celtic in Scotland this season.

The home side could have scored again via the Windass/Tavernier/Miller combination, and again it was with the aid of Sviatchenko. The Celtic centre-half watched Windass’s ball slip pass him and there was Tavernier again. His cross this time was not as sharp and Craig Gordon was able to get a hand in before Miller could connect.

Brown thundered into Tavernier to earn the first yellow card. Brown has been a player reborn under Rodgers and Celtic needed every inch of their captain’s drive to claw them back into the game. It was his midfield partner Stuart Armstrong, another revitalised by Rodgers, who created Celtic’s first opportunity, after half an hour lifting a cute ball over the top. Celtic’s pace upfront was always going to be a concern for Rangers and Sinclair had time to stumble and still race away before shooting against the post. The equaliser was not long delayed.

Foderingham failed to keep out Dembele's powerful equaliser (Getty)

From the corner Rob Kiernan and Clint Hill were sucked towards the penalty spot and Sinclair’s floated cross dropped to the unmarked and previously anonymous Dembele. The Frenchman’s touch set up the shot and he finished thunderously for his fifth goal in three games against Rangers.

He should have made it six at the start of the second period only to scuff his shot after Mikael Lustig found him unmarked in front of goal. Celtic had belatedly found their feet. James Forrest was denied by a Wes Foderingham after the influential Armstrong had put him in.

Rangers’ back three was struggling to cope. Dembele had become the central figure. Callum McGregor exploited the narrowness of Rangers defence and his cross reached Dembele, who shot against the bar.

Rodgers' side sit clear at the summit with a 19-point advantage over their rivals (Getty)

Neither defence was impressing. Danny Wilson was allowed a free header from a corner only to direct it straight at a grateful Gordon. A minute later and Celtic were ahead for the first time. It was a carbon copy of Rangers’ goal although the home defence were if anything even more statuesque.

Patrick Roberts, on for Forrest, skipped past Mackay and steered a pass to Armstrong. His cross was fired in from close range by Sinclair. Celtic were in control but Rangers were to have one more chance, and it was a glorious one. Mackay made his last significant contribution of a fine game, bolted forward, fed Halliday and the midfielder’s cross invited Miller to score his second. He hit the post.