Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has emerged victorious from his first Old Firm Derby, as his side beat Rangers 5-1 at Parkhead.
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With barely five minutes left, he became the first player since Stevie Chalmers in 1966 to score an Old Firm hat-trick with a lovely piece on control matched by a cool finish.
Central defender Philippe Senderos, who became Warburton’s 11th signing of the summer on Deadline Day, is pushing for a domestic debut, but there is no place in the party for Joe Dodoo and Matt Crooks, who continue their recoveries from ankle injuries.
The result leaves Celtic in a commanding position at the top of the Scottish Premiership with a 100% record and a four point lead over Rangers with a game in hand.
It was a flawless day for former Fulham striker Dembele, who joined the Hoops in the summer.
The striker has starred in 115 encounters for the club scoring 74 goals and has played a key role in helping Celtic win the league the last two years.
The build-up to the first Celtic v Rangers derby since 2012 has come with a sub-plot.
Mark Warburton insisted there is no yawning chasm in class between Rangers and Celtic after his team endured emphatic defeat at Parkhead.
Even this early in the season – the Hoops have only played four league games – it looks good for Brendan Rodgers’ side in their quest for title number six and they now prepare for their Champions League opener against Barcelona at the Nou Camp on Tuesday night. We know we have the game to hurt anybody.
“They have bragging rights and deserved to win”. They put the extra man up and we didn’t pick him up.
The problem with making such statements, is that when things go wrong – like when you’re part of a team that loses 5-1 to your most bitter rivals, play poorly and end up filling in at centre-half – sympathy is in short supply. We are much better than we showed today. “We don’t see a major gulf”. But then we got the goal and wanted to come out hard and fast in the second half.
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Not exactly the best way for the former Arsenal centre-back to mark his first appearance in Scottish football. “We just need to work harder”.
