NafisaThere was already no shortage of needle surrounding this Old Firm clash before the first whistle at Celtic Park.
Rangers had demolished Celtic 3-0 at Ibrox just seven days earlier, and another victory for Derek McInnes would mean back-to-back wins over their fiercest rivals in the space of a week.
That was exactly what happened.
Ryan Naderi’s first-half goal gave Rangers another 1-0 victory, cutting Celtic’s lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to just two points and leaving Martin O’Neill’s side facing a third consecutive defeat.
But while the result was the biggest story of the afternoon, the scenes in and around the two dugouts provided an entirely different source of drama.
And newly released footage has now given supporters another look at McInnes’ remarkable behaviour throughout the afternoon.
The Rangers boss had already found himself at the centre of a furious touchline confrontation with Celtic coach Mark Fotheringham, with both men eventually shown yellow cards by referee John Beaton.
But what McInnes did during the confrontation — and what happened between the benches after the final whistle — has given the episode another layer.
It started with an explosive touchline confrontation
The flashpoint came only four minutes into the match.
Rangers defender Emmanuel Fernandez was booked after bringing down Camilo Duran as Celtic attempted to break forward, and McInnes was clearly unhappy with the decision.
The Rangers boss could be seen directing his frustration towards the fourth official before the situation escalated and Fotheringham became involved.
The two men exchanged words on the touchline, with Martin O’Neill eventually stepping in and appearing to usher his coach away from the confrontation.
Beaton then booked both McInnes and Fotheringham.
Sky Sports’ footage captured the heated exchange, although the precise words between the two men were not clear.
There was also history between the pair, dating back to their previous clash when McInnes was Hearts manager.
But McInnes appeared determined to make sure the latest confrontation did not simply disappear into the background.
At one point, he held up three fingers towards the Celtic bench.
The meaning was difficult to miss.
It was a pointed reference to Rangers’ emphatic 3-0 victory over Celtic at Ibrox the previous weekend — a gesture that was subsequently highlighted by Rangers-focused reporting.
And that was not the only gesture that caught attention.
McInnes was also seen making the familiar bear-claw gesture, adding another visual taunt to an already fiery confrontation.
For Rangers supporters, it was the sort of moment that needed no explanation.
For those on the Celtic side, however, it was another reminder of just how heated the afternoon had become.
Then came the moment nobody expected
Rangers eventually saw out the match.
Celtic pushed for an equaliser, but Ivor Pandur produced a crucial save while Rangers’ defence held firm to secure another huge Old Firm victory.
The final whistle brought the inevitable celebrations from the Rangers players and staff.
And that was when another McInnes moment emerged.
After everything that had happened between the two technical areas, the Rangers boss still went through the customary post-match handshake.
There was no dramatic refusal.
No turning away.
No attempt to manufacture another confrontation.
Instead, McInnes shook hands with the Celtic management team — but did so with an almost remarkable lack of warmth.
There was no broad smile.
No lengthy exchange.
No attempt to turn the moment into a friendly reunion.
After spending much of the afternoon locked in a fiery confrontation with the Celtic bench, he simply completed the handshake and moved on.
That contrast is what makes the footage so striking.
During the match, McInnes had been visibly animated, gesturing towards the Celtic bench and reminding them of the previous week’s 3-0 humiliation.
Afterwards, despite the hostility, he still observed the traditional sporting ritual.
It was almost as if the message was: the battle is over, but the result speaks for itself.
McInnes finally revealed why he lost his cool
The Rangers manager was later asked about the yellow card he received following the dugout confrontation.
His response was every bit as blunt as the scenes themselves.
“It was 3-1 against me – and there was only two bookings. I was just sticking up for my team.”
McInnes was explaining his frustration after feeling that he was effectively outnumbered during the confrontation.
And there was an obvious extra layer to the comment.
Rangers had just beaten Celtic for the second time in eight days.
The first victory was 3-0.
The second was 1-0.
So even when McInnes was attempting to explain why he became involved in the touchline row, the numbers surrounding this extraordinary week of Old Firm football made the remark sound even more provocative.
Sky Sports footage had already captured the confrontation itself, while the subsequent three-finger gesture provided perhaps the clearest indication of what McInnes was trying to communicate to the Celtic bench.
And then, after all of that, came the handshake.
No smile.
No prolonged conversation.
Just the customary acknowledgement before McInnes walked away with another Old Firm victory in his pocket.
For Celtic supporters, the three-finger taunt and bear-claw gesture will likely be the moments that attract the most attention.
For Rangers fans, however, the entire sequence tells a different story.
Their manager was willing to engage in the heat of the battle, celebrate his team’s success, and then put the confrontation behind him when the final whistle arrived.
Whatever the feelings between the two benches, the result was already settled.
Rangers had beaten Celtic again.
And McInnes made sure the Celtic bench knew exactly what that meant long before he eventually shook their hands.
Nafisa
