Todd Cantwell stunner crowns Rangers comeback at sparse Ibrox as Celtic champagne stays on ice - 3 talking points

Rangers recovered from two goals down at rain-lashed Ibrox to beat Dundee 5-2 and ensure Celtic will have to work for the point they need to clinch the Scottish Premiership title.

It was a roller coaster night at Ibrox which threatened to turn ugly when Jordan McGhee and Antonio Portales stunned a flat and sparse crowd with goals late in the first half. Ross McCausland netted to half the deficit before the break and Cyriel Dessers levelled early in the second half before a Todd Cantwell stunner and a double from substitute Scott Wright completed the turnaround.

Philippe Clement made five changes from the derby defeat with Cantwell among those who came back in after his surprise omission for Parkhead and it was up to him and others to try and lift a sparse crowd who turned up on a grey night that resembled the mood after the derby defeat. Ridvan Yilmaz, who came in for Borna Barisic at left back, was the first to try his luck with an effort from distance beaten away by Jon McCracken. The Turk was bright early on and set up Mohamed Diomande for an effort just wide before the Ivorian had another shot deflected just wide.

With the pressure effectively off after the title dream all but died at Parkhead, there was a real intensity about the home side although there was a heart-stopping moment when Jack Butland made a meal of a Ben Davies passbook and the Englishman was lucky to avoid an embarrassing moment.

Cyriel Dessers went down after Ryan Astley appeared to push the striker in the back but referee Matthew MacDermid was having none of it, and VAR Andrew Dallas didn’t spot anything worthy of a spot kick. Rangers came closest after quarter of an hour when Dessers fed Fabio Silva who was clean through but the on-loan Wolves man saw his shot rattle the crossbar. Ross McCausland then capitalised on sloppy play to drive at goal just after the half hour but his shot was tipped over.

Dundee had some dangerous moments of their own and Butland was at full stretch to push away Amadou Bakayoko’s shot and they didn’t heed that warning as the visitors scored TWICE in just over two minutes. It was brilliant play by Owen Dodgson on the left hand side on both occasions as he sent a cross for Jordan McGhee to steer home and then again for Portales as Ibrox was stunned but McCausland handed them a lifeline with a fine run and finish after Leon King’s throughball.

The players left to a chorus of boos as Ibrox threatened to turn toxic but they drew level seven minutes after the break. Cantwell was the provider as he whipped in a cross from the left and Dessers was on hand to head home the leveller before Cantwell completed the turnaround with a cross-cum-shot that looped over the head of McCracken and into the net. McCracken was a busy man and pulled off a stunner to deny Dessers but he was left with little chance as Wright bagged a late brace.

Here’s three talking points from Ibrox Stadium:

Gers win keeps champagne on ice

It looked like Rangers were going to suffer the final insult in this stuttering end to the season by handing the title on a plate to their rivals - and Brendan Rodgers might even have switched channels after the Celtic boss said he was going to watch Spurs v Man City. But they survived a real scare on the back of that weekend derby defeat when they found themselves two goals down. It was a miserable night with the rain pouring down and Ibrox was flat from the off with a sparse crowd after their title hopes were left in tatters by the defeat at Parkhead. They had making up to do to those who did turn up but but you would never have known it going by the start to the game. But they got their in the end with a smattering of youngsters given a chance from the bench, including Robbie Fraser who was handed a debut. And now Celtic will have to go to Rugby Park looking for the point they need.

You Cant do that... oh yes I can

Todd Cantwell was surprisingly left out of the Rangers XI for the Old Firm derby at Parkhead - and even more surprisingly he didn’t come off the bench in the biggest game of the season. The former Norwich City man had posted a cryptic message on social media in the build up to the game and it could be he paid the price for that, or perhaps he was reacting to the fact the decision had been made not to start him.

Either way, he was given a chance here and it was his goal that edged Rangers ahead. It was a spectacular effort from the right but did he mean it? It certainly looked like he was going for the cross and got lucky. But they all count.

Dun in for Europe

Dundee hadn't won at Ibrox for 23 years with Claudio Caniggia - who later moved to Ibrox - and Stevie Milne on target for the Dark Blues. But the Taysiders have caused the Light Blues problems this season, having taken the lead on their last visit to Govan in December only for Rangers to recover to win. And then there was THAT goalless draw at Dens Park which put a huge dent in their title hopes last month Tony Docherty’s men were so impressive here as they looked to keep their slim hopes of European football next season alive and will feel hard done by to leave Govan with nothing as St Mirren claimed that place. But they tired as the game wore on and were up against it in the second half. Losing a goal on the stroke of half-time after getting into a two-goal lead was crucial.