Rangers delivered a statement at Ibrox that few Celtic supporters would have wanted to witness.
The atmosphere was intense from the opening whistle, with the Old Firm rivalry producing the kind of tension, aggression and urgency that made every challenge feel like it carried enormous consequences. Rangers looked determined from the first minute, while Celtic struggled to find the control and composure required to deal with their opponents.
By the final whistle, Rangers had produced a stunning 3–0 victory, sending Ibrox into wild celebrations and leaving Celtic facing a painful exit from the competition.
But after the match, the attention quickly turned towards Derek McInnes.
Speaking to journalists during his post-match interview, McInnes was first asked to assess his team’s performance and whether he believed Rangers had produced the kind of display he had been demanding from them.
The Rangers boss did not hide his satisfaction.
“We prepared for this game with one thing in our minds,” McInnes said. “Winning. Nothing more. We knew what this match meant to the supporters, to the players and to everyone connected with this club. The intensity was always going to be high, but we wanted to be ready for it.”
He admitted that the match was never going to be easy, particularly given the pressure surrounding an Old Firm clash.
“There were moments when the game became chaotic, but that’s what happens in these matches. You have to stay focused. You have to believe in your plan. I thought the players showed tremendous character.”
Then came the question that immediately changed the tone of the interview.
A journalist asked McInnes whether he had genuinely expected to win such a huge fixture, particularly because it was his first Old Firm encounter since taking charge of Rangers.
McInnes paused before delivering an answer that immediately caught everyone’s attention.
“Yes,” he replied. “I expected us to win.”
The room became noticeably quieter.
McInnes then explained why.
“I wouldn’t have come into this match thinking anything different. We came here to win. We didn’t come here hoping to survive or simply make the game difficult for Celtic. Our intention was winning from the beginning.”
But his most explosive comments were reserved for Martin O’Neill.
“Martin O’Neill is a good manager,” McInnes said. “I have a lot of respect for him, but I think he got this wrong today.”
McInnes suggested that Celtic may have approached the match with an outdated perception of Rangers.
“Maybe they looked at Rangers and thought this was the same team from before, under the previous manager. But this is a totally different Rangers team. Different mentality, different preparation, different expectations.”
According to the McInnes interview, Rangers had spent considerable time preparing specifically for Celtic’s approach, knowing exactly how important the tactical battle would be.
“We knew what we wanted to do,” he continued. “The players were fully prepared. We knew the intensity Celtic would bring, and we knew where we could hurt them.”
McInnes then delivered the line that left the biggest impression.
“I think Celtic were disappointed because they didn’t prepare their team for the Rangers they faced today. They prepared for what they thought Rangers were. That’s different.”
The Rangers manager also made it clear that his motivation was partly shaped by the desire to prevent history from repeating itself.
“We didn’t want history to repeat itself,” he said. “That’s something we spoke about internally. We wanted to change the feeling around these games, and today the players showed exactly what they’re capable of.”
The 3–0 scoreline ultimately became the loudest statement of all.
Rangers had not simply survived the Old Firm battle. They had dominated the occasion, overwhelmed Celtic at crucial moments and produced a result that could become one of the defining victories of McInnes’ early tenure.
And now, after the final whistle, his verdict has added another layer to an already unforgettable Old Firm afternoon.
“Martin O’Neill is a good manager… but he got this wrong.”
Those words are likely to be debated long after the celebrations at Ibrox have ended.
