Pete Hanson

Sun 3 September 2023 20:10, UK

Former Celtic striker John Hartson could not resist taking a swipe back at a Rangers fan after the Bhoys earned three points in the first Old Firm derby of the season.

Kyogo’s expertly taken finish on the stroke of half-time was enough to settle the contest at Ibrox, in a match where Kemar Roofe had controversially seen a goal ruled out after a VAR intervention.

On 28 August a Rangers fan had Tweeted Hartson to say: “Rangers have already won pal, we’re playing great and only finding our feet. Better team. Predicting 5 or 6 nil to Rangers. Supremely confident.”

Hartson quote Tweeted that comment following the match on Sunday (3 September) with a cheeky jibe of his own.

“How’s your confidence!!” Hartson wrote, accompanied with the sunglasses emoji.

To be expected

Rivalries would not be rivalries if you did not have fans baiting each other and making outlandish predictions, it is part of what makes football the game we all know and love.

So, there was nothing really wrong with what was written to Hartson – who won the Scottish Premiership on three occasions with the Bhoys.

Sadly, though, if you are going to go and make outlandish predictions, on occasion, you are going to end up with the proverbial egg smattered all over your face.

And, this is exactly what has happened on this occasion, and exactly why Hartson has deemed it necessary to have a go back with a quip of his own.

These things are par for the course, and what will be of a much bigger concern to Rangers is the fact they struggled to really hurt a Celtic side who have looked pretty disjointed in the early stages of the season.

The Roofe goal being ruled out for a foul by Cyriel Dessers in the build-up was highly contentious, but in truth Rangers simply had to do more. If they had, perhaps Hartson would not have had a chance to land a jibe of his own.

In other Rangers news, Todd Cantwell did not fare particularly well in the player ratings from the game.