The goal that turned the tide on Celtic and gave us our belief Jack

Ryan says Rangers must have no fear in derby .. like they did under Gerrard

- BY SCOTT MCDERMOTT

HE inflicted Brendan Rodgers’ first Old Firm defeat.

And his winning goal at Ibrox felt like a pivotal moment in getting Rangers back to the top of Scottish football.

That's why, when Ryan Jack tunes in for today’s last Premiership derby of the season, he'll be gutted that there's only pride on the line.

The former Gers midfielder scored in a 1-0 victory over their Glasgow rivals in December 2018, the clubs first win over Celtic in 13 attempts.

That victory was a game-changer for the club and then gaffer Steven Gerrard.

Celtic had been utterly dominant in the fixture from when Rangers returned to the top flight from Scotland's bottom tier.

But Jack says Gerrard - who is being strongly linked with a return to Ibrox as manager - managed to instil a belief in the squad that allowed them to stand up to Rodgers’ side.

It took another two-and-a-half years for Rangers to become champions in 2021 - but Jack's goal was a starting point and a day he'll never forget.

There's far less at stake this afternoon when the sides clash again in the league, with Celtic's title already in the bag.

And it saddens the 33-year-old that, after getting back on top four years ago, the club are playing catch-up to the Hoops again.

In an exclusive interview with MailSport, he said: "When I look back at that day, it meant the world to me and so many people.

"After scoring that goal and winning the match, I could see how much it affected people.

"Whether it was at the training ground, even kitchen staff, they'd come up to me and talk about it.

"It meant so much to so many.

"It also felt like a big moment for us at the time. It was the first Old Firm game Rodgers had lost.