A section of Celtic's delirious support chanted "I'd rather be a doctor than a Dick," encapsulating in a single, innuendo-laden line the significance of the result for the Old Firm's head coaches and the unexpected tactical error made by the man in charge of Rangers.
For Celtic's hard-pressed doctor, Jozef Venglos, the performance and result achieved by the home side brought more than relief; there was recognition and possibly even acceptance by a following who have doubted him for most of the four months he has been in charge.
For Dick Advocaat the game was a cruel exposure of a flawed interpretation of events, a failing for which no one would have dreamt of accusing him since the start of a first season in which he has taken Rangers to a commanding lead in the Premier League, the last 16 of the UEFA Cup and next Sunday's League Cup final.
This was Venglos's victory. It was his decision to field an improbable strike force in Henrik Larsson and Lubomir Moravcik: neither could be described as a penalty-box predator.
Venglos also put Larsson's fellow Swede, Johan Mjallby, the midfielder signed the day before, into central defence to partner Alan Stubbs, who had not played for five weeks. He also stuck with Tony Warner, the on-loan Liverpool reserve goalkeeper.
The plan worked like a charm, with Moravcik, the 33-year-old Slovakian midfielder, tearing the Rangers defence apart with quickness of mind and deftness of feet and head. His goal after 11 minutes, a left-foot drive which curled away from Antti Niemi, gave Celtic impetus.
Advocaat's blunder was made after Scott Wilson's 21st-minute sending-off; the inexperienced defender poleaxed Moravcik with a challenge from behind. The Rangers coach left his team and formation untouched, with his men still trying to go forward at a time when consolidation at the back was needed.
He said the most disappointing aspect was the way his players stopped playing as a team. That was true, but it was a natural progression as Sergio Porrini, Colin Hendry and Arthur Numan were tormented and then skewered by the quick interchanging of Moravcik, Larsson, Phil O'Donnell and Simon Donnelly between midfield and the front line.
The kill was quick, but certainly not merciful. Moravcik completed his double with a header after 49 minutes, and Larsson scored the third and fourth within another seven minutes. At 3-0 Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rangers' one distinguished player, had scored with a free-kick. Mark Burchill, the 18-year-old prodigy, scored the fifth near the end.
Venglos is a man of few words, but the whispered `Thank you' he offered his Slovakian compatriot Lubomir Moravcik after his part in a famous Old Firm triumph said it all.
It was the biggest margin of victory for Celtic over Rangers since 1966.
Celtic: Warner, Boyd, Mahe, Stubbs, Larsson, O'Donnell, Donnelly (Hannah 79), Lambert, Moravcik (Burchill 82), Riseth, Mjallby. Subs Not Used: Brattbakk, Annoni, McCondichie. Booked: Stubbs. Goals: Moravcik 11, 49, Larsson 51, 57, Burchill 89.
Rangers: Niemi, Porrini, Numan, B Ferguson (I Ferguson 74), Kanchelskis (Vidmar 61), Van Bronckhorst, Albertz (Durie 61), Guivarc'h, Wallace, Wilson, Hendry. Subs Not Used: Nicholson, Brown. Sent Off: Wilson (22). Booked: Numan, Hendry. Goals: Van Bronckhorst 53.
Referee: W Young (Clarkston)
