After being previously unbeaten at Ibrox throughout 2008, this defeat will feel like a burglary over the festive season to Rangers. The three precious points that Celtic made off with give them an advantage of seven at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League going into 2009 as Gordon Strachan bids to win a fourth consecutive title. There was an element of smash and grab to the win as Rangers had controlled the match for almost an hour when Scott McDonald wheeled in behind Kirk Broadfoot on to Georgios Samaras’s flicked header then slanted a ferocious diagonal shot into the net as the ball bounced invitingly for him.

It was the lack of Rangers’ response thereafter that will trouble Walter Smith, the manager, most as he looks for clues over the next few days that his side can somehow eat into that advantage in the months ahead. Rangers lacked imagination and even a little desire as they attempted to find an equaliser. “We have no real margin for error now,” Smith said. “We were hoping to peg Celtic back today and we now have to go the rest of the season undefeated. That’s the third game we have lost, so we have to improve dramatically.”

When Rangers resorted to the high ball, Gary Caldwell and Stephen McManus dominated the various forwards pressed up against them and when the home side tried to pick their way through they found the likes of Paul Hartley and Scott Brown closing off the spaces around Celtic’s box. Perhaps the containment required came so easily to Celtic because they had been rehearsing it for an hour before they scored. Arriving with a four-point lead, courtesy of greater consistency since losing the first Old Firm match of the season, the implications of defeat were less serious for them and Rangers’ anxiety grew as they dominated possession yet failed to take the chances which came their way.

Celtic grew from the goal, switching to a 4-5-1 in the latter stages and harrying Rangers on the counter through the poised running of Samaras and cunning pugnacity of McDonald. Samaras might have added a second goal when he crept in behind Sasa Papac onto Paul Hartley’s delayed free-kick but he put his attempted finish too close to Allan McGregor, the Rangers goalkeeper.

It was Celtic’s first win at Ibrox since February 2006 and provided yet another dose of vindication for Gordon Strachan, whose internal suspension of Aiden McGeady had dominated the build-up to the game and would have been used to criticise him had it been lost. The ban is now complete and Celtic’s manager indicated afterwards that McGeady will return to the fold this week. Strachan's selection was further complicated by a virus which ruled out Shunsuke Nakamura. This meant Strachan gambled on Koki Mizuno, Nakamura’s Japanese compatriot, after his bubbly display and goal against Falkirk last week. “It was huff and puff football in the first half,” said Strachan. “We did feel we could have upped the technical level, but it is not an easy game to do that in.”

Perhaps the pivotal moment came two minutes into the second half when Barry Ferguson’s perceptive pass put Kris Boyd through on Artur Boruc. The Celtic goalkeeper advanced and Rangers’ predator put his finish too close to him and then could not recover the ball or his composure when it broke back toward him. Ferguson had found his range and another rapid and accurate ball almost brought a penalty as Caldwell got on the wrong side of Kenny Miller but he had the presence of mind to foul the striker just before he made it into the box and Boyd slammed the subsequent free-kick wastefully into the wall.

Rangers’ greater need for victory was reflected in an opening half which was typically frantic. Steven Davis began the home side’s assault by cutting inside Lee Naylor for shots which were repelled by Caldwell then Boruc before he sliced a third off target. Miller also duped Andreas Hinkel with a clever turn on the opposite flank, then slid the ball invitingly across the box toward Boyd, yet as he spun into his shot, McManus was there to block it. From the resulting corner, Rangers did get the ball in Celtic’s net but only after Broadfoot and Boyd had jumped at Boruc as he attempted to collect it while it span under his crossbar. Craig Thomson, the referee, had no hesitation in blowing for a foul and the muted nature of Rangers’ protests suggested that he was correct to do so.

Pedro Mendes and Scott Brown conducted their own private duel amid the general bedlam, although it was wonder they could hear the insults which saw them called together by Thomson for a peace summit before they immediately resumed hostilities. Boruc, meanwhile, took exception to David Weir’s attempts to force the ball in after he dropped a cross.

At this stage, Celtic were seldom seen around Rangers’ goal. Samaras floated around the edges of the action and McDonald had to come deep to forage for scraps of possession. They were undoubtedly missing McGeady’s pace and penetrative dribbling. Yet McDonald’s goal and the victory it secured answered emphatically on Strachan’s behalf.

Star man: Gary Caldwell (Celtic).

Rangers: McGregor 6, Whittaker 5 (sub: Novo 75min), Broadfoot 5, Weir 6, Papac 5, Davis 6, Ferguson 7, Mendes 7, Adam 6 (sub: Lafferty 63), Miller 6, Boyd 5.
Celtic: Boruc 7, Hinkel 4 (sub: Wilson 46min, 7), Caldwell 8, McManus 8, Naylor 6, Mizuno 6 (sub: O’Dea 63), Brown 7, Hartley 7, Robson 6; McDonald 7 (sub: Vennegoor of Hesselink 90), Samaras 7.

Scorer: Celtic: MacDonald 58.

Yellow cards: Rangers: Adam; Celtic: Naylor, Caldwell.

Attendance: 50,403.

Referee: C Thomson.