JAMES Forrest scored a late winner in what was a remarkable Old Firm match to put Celtic within touching distance of eight in a row but the biggest talking point at the end of an exhausting afternoon was Alfredo Morelos.

Oh, and also the fighting between both sets of the match which the home side won 2-1.

Scott Brown didn’t cover himself in glory by the way he behaved after the final whistle. And when Odsonne Edouard scored the opening goal, some Celtic fans poured over the advertising boards and a steward was injured in the process.

So much happened on and off the park.

Morelos made unwanted history by becoming the first player in European football to receive five red cards in the same season. A humiliating statistic.

He fell for an old pro’s trick on 32 minutes when Brown clipped his heels, the red mist descended, and he elbowed the Celtic captain a few yards away from the assistant referee. Bobby Madden had no choice to show him the red card. A completely unacceptable bout of lunacy.

The Rangers striker utterly let down his team, manager and supporters.

Celtic were 1-0 up at that point and went in at half-time having utterly dominated their old rivals.

But even without Morelos, Rangers showed aggression and desire in the second-half, equalised and were even given an unusual boost when Celtic had to finish the last 20 minutes a man down when Dedryck Boyata hobbled off after Neil Lennon had made all his substitutions.

When Madden did end the match, Brown ran to the small band of Rangers supporters and goaded them by what seemed to be a repeat of the celebration Scott Arfield did to Brown at Ibrox in December.

Andy Halliday ran to confront Brown, Celtic goalkeeper Scott Bain rushed out and appeared to be caught by the Rangers man’s arm or fist. Halliday was shown a second yellow when he went up the tunnel.

Within a second, there were two groups of players from both sides, including substitutes, involved in pushing and shoving.

Brown didn’t need to do that with the game won and it’s inevitable he and a few others will have to answer for their actions.

Neil Lennon said his chances of getting the Celtic’s manager’s job full-time would not rely on beating Rangers. He had better be right for his sake.

Yes, his team won, but the second-half performance was awful, his substitutes puzzling, but this wasn’t a great display. Not that he cared when Forrest scored as he ran down the line in celebration showing a burst of speed which he couldn’t do in his playing days.

Anyway, some football was played, Honest.

Olivier Ntcham was a surprise starter for Celtic. His last match was that defeat at Ibrox, he was dreadful that afternoon, but here the midfielder had a superb 45 minutes.

Kieran Tierney returned and enjoyed a fine afternoon before going off with an injury, as did Odsonne Edouard and James Forrest. For Rangers, once they got going, Ryan Kent had a great day as well.

But Lennon insisted Kent should have been sent off as well for pushing Brown off the ball.

Only two minutes had gone when Rangers had Allan McGregor to thank for not going behind so early.

Ntcham began the move with a superb pass to Tierney with the outside of his right foot. The left back cut inside Daniel Candeias, sent in a cross, the ball ricocheted once or twice, it then sat up for Odsonne Edouard who must have thought he’d scored from a few yards out - but the Rangers goalkeeper somehow pulled off a superb save.

McGregor was back in action within moments when he punched away an Edouard shot from outside the box.

After a period of cagey football by both sides, Celtic probed once again on 15 minutes. James Forrest had the ball close to the touchline but instead of a cross he opted for a pass inside to Ntcham, the Frenchman having brought himself some space 20 yards out. He got off a shot despite being closed down which went right through to McGregor.

Rangers’ passing was woeful. On 21 minutes, Joe Worrall strode out from defence and under no pressure gave the ball to Forrest who in turn got his pass away to Edouard. He bore down on goal and would have scored had Connor Goldson not put in a superbly timed tackle.

A few minutes later, Rangers were in Celtic’s half but not for the first time, it may well have been every time up until that point, the delivery was poor, Dedryck Boyata won a header, the ball was swiftly played to Forrest who, as he did previously, produced a sublime pass to give Edouard a one-on-one on Goldson.

The young Frenchman tormented the Rangers centre-half, got the ball on his left foot and the finish was, dare I say, Larsson-like.

So, what could Rangers do?

They got in 1-0 at half-time, doing well to do so, and played miles better after the break

You would never have known they had ten men and their equaliser on 63 minutes was deserved.

A lovely touch by Candeias got the ball to James Tavernier who played a superb pass through to the excellent Kent, played onside by Boyata, and he coolly send his shot past Bain.

It was then a case of next goal being the winner, especially when Celtic went down to ten after 72 minutes.

However, the champions-elect had just enough to win it with four minutes of normal time remaining.

Rangers captain Tavernier played a pass to nobody, Callum McGregor picked up the loose ball, fed to Edouard who had two men on him but still managed to turn and lay a perfect pass to Forrest who tucked his shot into the corner of the net.

There was still time from some more on-field drama.

With a minute to go, Celtic’s keeper Bain spilled a Kent cross, the ball fell to Rangers defender Joe Worrall a few yards from an empty net but Kristoffer Ajer who miraculously got his feet to the ball and celebrated his goal-saving tackle as it were a goal.

And that was that. Except, of course, it won’t be.