Ten-man Celtic slumped to their first league defeat of the season following a sloppy 5-1 defeat at Ibrox.

Henrik Larsson cancelled out Barry Ferguson’s 34^th minute opener ten minutes into the second-half, but Rangers replied emphatically through goals from Tore Andre Flo, Ronald de Boer, Lorenzo Amoruso and Michael Mols.

Celtic stuttered to find the rhythm that has served them so well up to now in the race for the title, and when Alan Thompson was dismissed for his second bookable offence it was clear that there would be no way back for Martin O’Neill’s side.

The defeat was difficult to stomach after the impressive performances that have characterised the season so far, but strength often comes from adversity.

Without doubt the defeat was painful to the Celtic fans who packed their way into the Broomloan Road stand, but in the cold light of day it should be remembered that the Hoops remain at the top of the table.

Admittedly the three points that Rangers collected from the game, coupled with the morale boost that they will take from it, breathes new life into the title chase but it’s up to Celtic to recover from the set-back and rekindle their form.

Rangers looked hungrier for the win straight from kick-off, and spurned two glorious chances in quick succession in the opening three minutes.

Flo sent a shot narrowly wide of Rab Douglas’ right-hand post after Claudio Reyna had dissected the Celts defence, and then Ronald de Boer scooped a shot over the bar following a mix-up between Mjallby and Douglas two minutes later.

Inevitably the pace of the early stages was frantic, and Reyna earned himself a yellow card after just eight minutes following a crude and needless tackle on Bobby Petta, when the ball was ready to trickle harmlessly out of play.

Stilian Petrov and Jorg Albertz got involved in a minor skirmish after the German caught Petrov on the shin, but referee Kenny Clark was quick to step in and prevent any trouble.

In the 15^th minute Alan Thompson tried his luck with a 35-yard free-kick, but it sailed high over the bar.

Two minutes later Didier Agathe skipped clear of Numan, only to be brought crashing to the deck following a clumsy tackle from Barry Ferguson.

The subsequent free-kick was shuttled high into Rangers’ penalty box, where it was finally met by Joos Valgaeren, but his drive crept wide of the target.

The Belgian however was next to go into the book, after a late challenge on Rangers’ skipper Barry Ferguson in the 22^nd minute.

Sixty seconds later Agathe cleanly weaved his way beyond the close attentions of Numan before driving forward and spraying the ball to Larsson. The striker pushed the ball to Chris Sutton, whose subsequent shot was blocked by Lorenzo Amoruso, and the resultant corner proved fruitless.

It was Rangers however who made the breakthrough first when Ferguson opened the scoring in the 34^th minute. The midfielder collected a ball from Reyna before stepping clear of the Celtic defence and driving his shot low into the right-hand corner.

If Martin O’Neill was correct to feel aggrieved at the goal – Arthur Numan stole 15-yards from the free-kick that led to it – he had even more reason to be angry two minutes later. A clear handball from Albertz was allowed to go unpunished, and from which Dick Advocaat’s side almost netted a second.

Jackie McNamara and Stephane Mahe were introduced at the beginning of the second-half at the expense of Lubomir Moravcik and Mjallby.

Tempers flared four minutes after the interval when Sutton and Amoruso indulged in some squabbling off the ball, and each were rewarded with a booking a piece.

Sutton and Amoruso continued their individual duel, and in the 55^th minute the burly Italian conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box after fouling the Celtic forward, but Larsson’s attempt sailed over the bar.

The Swede though did not have long to wait for his next chance which arrived two minutes later.

A Thompson corner was floated high into the box, and Larsson rose high above the Rangers defence to glance a header low into the bottom right-hand corner.

The reply from the hosts however was swift, and within three minutes they had restored their advantage.

A Reyna corner was met at the back post by Albertz whose header cannoned off the bar. The rebound broke to Tore Andre Flo inches from the goal-line and the striker powered the ball high into the net.

Events took a further turn for the worse five minutes later when Thompson received a second yellow card for another foul on Ferguson, and Celtic were duly reduced to ten men.

Rangers didn’t take long to exploit his absence, and added a third goal in the 68^th minute. Ronald de Boer met an Albertz corner at the back post and the Dutchman sent a header well beyond Douglas.

Celtic ought to have found their way back into the game via a 74^th minute penalty, but the referee somehow failed to spot Amoruso draped across Sutton.

Sixty seconds later Douglas turned a Mols shot wide of the post, and two corners in quick succession followed.

From the latter Rangers added their fourth of the afternoon. Albert’ corner was converted by the head of the much maligned Amoruso.

Sutton almost pulled one back with nine minutes remaining, but his header was inches over the bar.

It was Rangers who had the last word however when de Boer cut the ball through the Rangers defence for his countryman to prod the ball past Douglas.

When the dust has settled on another distressing Old Firm affair, Celtic fans would do well to remember that in 1998 when the Hoops destroyed Advocate’s side by a similar margin at Celtic Park, Rangers dismissed it as a blip on the landscape, and went on to lift the title.

There is no reason why Celtic should not confine this afternoon to the scrapheap and refocus on the task that lies in wait.