APPEARANCES can be deceptive. There was a gentle sunshine that bathed Celtic Park invitingly yesterday afternoon but it did not take long for Rangers to realise they had walked into the eye of a formidable storm.

‘Pile on the agony, putting on the style’ read the giant Tifo that was, after some delay eventually unfurled. It proved to be a portent of what was to come although there was nothing of the same hesitation in Celtic’s start to the game

Like a bit of debris, the hurricane that was Brendan Rodgers’ side held Rangers firmly, ruthlessly in its grasp. By the time they had rampaged against the Ibrox before dumping them back to earth, it was a case of standing back to survey the wreckage.

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Some of that will be visible; Celtic’s seventh consecutive title, Rodgers’ 11th game undefeated against the Ibrox side. There are scars, too, though from afternoons like these that will go unseen but give Rangers jittery shudders of disquiet long after this game has passed.

There was a humiliation about the scoreline, about the margin of the victory, about the performance.

And how Celtic scented the weakness in their visitors who seemed beaten before a ball had been kicked. As the Parkhead side went into the trademark huddle immediately before kick-off, the Rangers players approached to applaud their own support in a show of unity. It was the last act of cohesion witnessed from the Ibrox side.

Three goals to the good and counting at the interval, Celtic did not lift their foot off the neck of their rivals.

The portents were there in the opening minutes. The clock hadn’t registered fully five minutes Celtic had posted firm notice of their intent with three genuine chances. Problem for Rangers was that they were impotent in the face of the repeated threat.

There was no Moussa Dembele in the squad but there was Odsonne Edouard. When the Frenchman was replaced by Leigh Griffiths with 15 minutes of regulation time to go, the standing ovation as he left the pitch told its own story.

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It wasn’t just Edouard’s goals, as well taken as they were, but the manner in which he ran the Ibrox defence ragged. He led the line, he took his chances, he linked up well and he gave Rangers the fear.

Where Rangers were meek, Celtic were resolute. It wasn’t just a win that delivered the Championship against their oldest rivals, it was a circus of a day.

It was an afternoon to savour for a jubilant Hoops support who took every opportunity to mock the fate of the Ibrox counterparts.

News that Andy Halliday was starting the game at left-back prompted huge cheers from the home support, Alfredo Morelos got a warmer welcome when he entered the fray from the home support that he did his own. Even the visiting support’s ditty to the Queen drew a round of applause.

James Forrest netted the third just before the interval and danced a jig; his first goal against Rangers in 16 attempts opened the floodgates. Mikael Lustig was quick to get in on the party, donning a trackside policeman’s hat – assuming a shared sense of humour in such occasions is never entirely advisable in Glasgow – as he cavorted in front of his own support. Never mind lawful intervention, divine intervention couldn’t have prevented Rangers’ succumbing to their fate yesterday afternoon.

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It was a party from start to finish for the Parkhead side. There was little tension in the stadium for the outcome of the game was never in doubt.

The excellent Callum McGregor, creative, intelligent and robust deserved his goal for the work he put in. Similarly Forrest, so often under appreciated, underlined his credentials for the player of the year with an imperious display full of energy, industry and no little productivity. He was a thorn in the side of the hapless Halliday throughout with his running and movement.

Who knows if Steven Gerrard watched the game as he pondered his next step but whatever manager takes over now from the beleaguered Graeme Murty, will not know where to start with this Rangers team.

It is difficult to see how a number of them will rescue their careers at the Ibrox club such has been the insipid nature of their performances, and not just in the last few games against Celtic.

This season alone Celtic have played Rangers five times. The scoreline stands at 14-2, a stat reflective of the lopsided nature of the two when measured as a contest. There will be much made of how lacking in spirit, leadership, guile and heart Rangers were.

But from Celtic's perspective this level of performance had Rodgers at its heart, epitomising the aggressive and fluent nature of the football that was the hallmark of his tenure in his inaugural season.

For Rodgers’ side, though, there was only sunshine yesterday. There appears little to cloud the immediate horizon as a back-to-back Treble lies in wait.