The final Old Firm clash of the season this afternoon saw Celtic travelling to Ibrox needing victory to keep their hopes of retaining the championship alive.
In any other season, the sight of Rangers having won one cup and reached the final of the other and kicking off today eight points clear would have tipped the Hoops fans into deep depression.
But the away following was in buoyant mood after reaching the UEFA Cup final on Thursday night and added extra spice to an always passionate derby by wearing sombreros and waving passports at the Rangers fans to rub in the fact that they will be off to the final in Seville next month.
Rangers on the other hand knew that victory today would all but wrap up the title and gambled on the fitness of Ronald de Boer, whose calf problem had forced him to miss last week's Tennent's Scottish Cup semi-final victory over Motherwell.
Peter Lovenkrands and Claudio Caniggia had been forced to miss that match as well and they too returned, with the fourth absentee Mikel Arteta, taking a place on the bench.
That meant no place for Kevin Muscat on derby day for the fifth time in his debut season, with the Australian having played in the last two games. Fernando Ricksen dropped back from midfield to right-back to fill the gap and the return of the injured players meant Neil McCann and Shota Arveladze also dropped out.
Celtic made three changes from the side which beat Boavista to clinch that UEFA Cup final place.
Skipper Paul Lambert had been forced off early that night and his place in midfield was taken by Jackie McNamara. There was no Johan Mjallby at the back so Ulrik Laursen stepped in and the other change saw midweek substitute Chris Sutton come in for Stilian Petrov, who was on the bench.
Rangers: Klos, Ricksen, Moore, Amoruso, Numan, Caniggia, Ferguson, Konterman, Lovenkrands, de Boer, Mols. Subs: McGregor, McCann, Thompson, Ross, Arteta.
Celtic: Douglas, Valgaeren, Balde, Larsson, Agathe, McNamara, Lennon, Thompson, Sutton, Hartson, Laursen. Subs: Broto, Petrov, Maloney, Smith, Crainey.
Referee: H Dallas (Scotland)