Glasgow Rangers secured their place within the final 4 of the League Cup with a powerful 3-0 win over their metropolis rivals at Ibrox on Sunday afternoon.
The Gentle Blues have now saved clear sheets in 4 of their final 5 matches in all competitions, however Ivor Pandur had little or no to do between the sticks in opposition to Celtic.
It was then the workforce’s play in possession that allowed Derek McInnes’ facet to go and win the match, as Dan Neil scored twice both facet of a primary Rangers objective from Kevin Kelsy.
Within the absence of Lawrence Shankland, who’s out for as much as 4 months with a hamstring damage, Neil donned the captain’s armband and delivered a captain’s efficiency.
How Dan Neil dominated Celtic for Rangers
The English midfielder, who joined on a free switch from Sunderland over the summer time, scored the primary and third targets for the Gentle Blues, and each got here from positions on the sting of the field.
Neil was completely positioned to fit into the underside left nook for the primary objective earlier than he curled his second objective into the far high nook with a elegant end to make it 3-0.
It was his positioning all through the sport that allowed him to get the higher of Callum McGregor and Mika Baur within the midfield, as he picked up positions to maintain maintain of the ball and retain management for his facet.
The Gers skipper dominated the Hoops due to how he was in a position to keep away from duels and challenges along with his intelligent motion off the ball to tackle passes from his teammates.
26/27 Premiership
Dan Neil
Appearances
4
Move accuracy
85%
Tackles per sport
2.5
Interceptions per sport
1.5
Duels received per sport
4.3
Floor duel success price
52%
Aerial duel success price
50%
He has proven that he can deal with himself in duels within the Scottish Premiership, although, by successful nearly all of his duels throughout his first 4 outings within the division.
Higher than Neil: Rangers have discovered their greatest signing since Igamane
Neil has hit the bottom operating at Ibrox and is beginning to appear like one of many membership’s greatest signings since Hamza Igamane, whom the membership made a major revenue on after spending simply the 2024/25 marketing campaign in Glasgow.
Nonetheless, the English midfielder will not be even the most effective participant to have been signed by the Gers this summer time, as a result of one of many membership’s different signings outperformed him in opposition to Celtic.
Rangers banked £8.7m revenue on Igamane after he scored 16 targets in his debut season with the Scottish giants, and Olwethu Makhanya could possibly be bought for the same revenue if he retains his type up.
The South Africa worldwide delivered an extremely dominant and spectacular efficiency in a number of positions within the 3-0 win for the Gentle Blues in opposition to Celtic on Sunday.

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In his post-match press convention, McInnes described the defender’s show as “sensational” and “top quality” after he needed to play on the left facet of a again three within the first half and at right-back in direction of the top of the match.
Makhanya confirmed unimaginable versatility, composure, energy, and high quality on the ball all through the 3-0 win over Celtic, impressing in each of the positions that he was requested to play.
Ranking Rangers starters vs Celtic
Participant
Ranking
Ivor Pandur
7
Dujon Sterling
7
Emmanuel Fernandez
7
Olwethu Makhanya
9
James Penrice
8
Nico Raskin
7
Dan Neil
8.5
Min-su Kim
7
Ryan Naderi
8
Djeidi Gassama
7
Kevin Kelsy
8
Signed from Philadelphia Union for £3m in the summertime, the 22-year-old centre-back is quick changing into the membership’s greatest signing since Igamane after a 9/10 efficiency on Sunday.
Makhanya set the tempo for Rangers along with his aggressive defending from the off, urgent excessive to win the ball and break up play excessive up the pitch to stop the away facet from creating any notable probabilities.
He was even higher than Neil, regardless of the 2 targets, as a result of it was his full dominance defensively that offered the remainder of the workforce with a platform to construct from.
Makhanya has began all 5 of his appearances within the Premiership since signing for the Gers, and has received 53% of his floor duels and 54% of his aerial battles, while averaging 2.0 tackles and interceptions per sport.
Rangers have already saved 5 clear sheets this season with the South African colossus on the coronary heart of the defence, and it’s no coincidence that the workforce have improved defensively with him within the workforce.
Makhanya has hit the bottom operating at Ibrox and didn’t take any time to adapt to the physicality and depth of Scottish soccer, displaying unimaginable composure and energy week-in-week-out.
If he continues to ship dominant defensive performances and exhibits high quality with the ball at his ft, he might find yourself being the membership’s greatest signing since Igamane, and will entice curiosity from elsewhere.

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