Amid the skewed logic about Celtic ‘not winning the game’ and Rangers offering up a display that was notably more aggressive than their limp Viaplay Cup final showing, conclusions about the two remain largely the same.
It might have been a different game had Alfredo Morelos’ ‘goal’ stood – and Alistair Johnson got away with one there – but the real difference is the reliability in both boxes between the two.
Jota’s goal was the result of John Souttar’s poor pass and while social media had great fun at Allan McGregor’s expense as he showed every bit of his experience in the ponderous run back, the winger still had much to do to ensure it ended up in the back of the net.
Point is, when chances come Celtic’s big players can largely be relied upon to finish them.
Compare and contrast with Rangers chasing the game with five to go and Ryan Kent and Morelos engaging in some tippy-tappy passing that allowed Celtic to get back in numbers and failed to make the most of the break.
Kent offered so little in the game as to be almost anonymous while Celtic can look to Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi as the players that can be relied upon to step up. Both have repeatedly showed a calmness of mind and of touch in this fixture.
It compensates for games like Saturday when they were uncharacteristically wasteful in the middle of the park and when they never quite hit full flow.
The surgery that Rangers require is absolute this summer and any chat about McGregor hanging on for another year will surely have been put to bed on Saturday.
