A spectacular overhead kick from Youssef Chermiti fired Rangers into an early lead at a buoyant Ibrox and the Portuguese under-21 international doubled the home side’s advantage before half-time.
Celtic have made a habit of late comebacks during Martin O’Neill’s two caretaker spells in charge this season and needed another one to salvage their title hopes.
Kieran Tierney’s header halved the deficit before Reo Hatate grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser on the rebound after his penalty was saved by Jack Butland.
Yet the winners of a pulsating Glasgow derby were in Edinburgh as Hearts’ lead at the top is reduced only to six points with nine games to play for the top two.
Celtic trail second-placed Rangers by two points, but can usurp them with a game in hand at Aberdeen on Wednesday.
In-form Mothwerwell are also not out of the running as they are 10 points off the top with a game in hand on Hearts and face the Jambos twice more this season.
Legendary former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson was in attendance at Ibrox after taking in Hearts’ 1-0 win over Aberdeen at Tynecastle on Saturday.
Ferguson was in charge of Aberdeen the last time a side other than Celtic or Rangers won the Scottish top flight back in 1984/85.
The flaws on both sides of the Glasgow divide that has allowed Hearts to profit were on show.
Chermiti’s remarkable big game record continued as eight of his nine goals for Rangers have come against Celtic or Hearts.
And there has rarely been a better one in the history of this fixture than his acrobatic effort to open the scoring from Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross.
Chermiti showed quick feet to add a second and Rangers could have had more in a dominant first 45 minutes.
O’Neill responded by making two half-time changes with former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain among those replaced.
Celtic were transformed in the second half and grew in belief once Tierney nodded in Benjamin Nygren’s cross.
But they needed a VAR review to spot a clear handball by Dujon Sterling for their equaliser.
Butland continued his incredible record of saving penalties this season, but got unfortunate as even after blocking Hatate’s follow-up effort, the ball broke for the Japan international to tap in. (AFP)
Edited by Cecil Wong
