GLASGOW – Rangers won the first Old Firm derby of the season as Nacho Novo’s double strike inspired a 3-0 victory over Celtic on Saturday.

Since Walter Smith returned to Ibrox he has quickly established a stranglehold over Celtic and this was a third successive triumph over his club’s bitter rivals.

Novo’s first half header and a late penalty sandwiched Barry Ferguson’s clinical finish to put Rangers level on points with Gordon Strachan’s Scottish champions.

It was a win Rangers desperately needed after two league games without success. This was proof that their famous Champions League win at Lyon wasn’t a flash in the pan and will serve as ideal preparation for Tuesday’s visit from Barcelona.

While Ibrox reverberated to the din of celebrating Rangers fans, their Celtic counterparts left fearing a serious battle to hold onto their title.

It is 50 years since Celtic last failed to score in three consecutive derbies, and the sense of a change in the balance of power in Glasgow is palpable.

Strachan opted to deploy Scott McDonald in a lone striker’s role but he was straight into the thick of the action with an audacious overhead kick that Allan McGregor scrambled away for a corner.

There is never any shortage of rancour when these old enemies clash and, from the resulting set-piece, the first skirmish broke out with Australia’s McDonald booked by referee Mike McCurry.

Celtic had won their previous four matches and looked full of confidence in the early stages here.

McDonald brought McGregor into action when he tried his luck with a snapshot from the right flank, then Italian midfielder Massimo Donati followed McDonald into the referee’s book for hacking down Alan Hutton.

That foul was a sign of the match’s changing momentum. Smith’s side were starting to get into their stride and they took the lead with a well-crafted goal in the 28th minute.

Hutton surged forward and whipped in a teasing cross from the right that by-passed two Celtic defenders before Novo dived in at the far post to head home from close range.

Celtic’s determination not to lose the midfield battle was beginning to take its toll on their discipline as Scott Brown became the third visiting player to be shown the yellow card after a thunderous tackle on Sasa Papac.

When Strachan’s men focused on the more creative side of their game, they immediately threatened to equalise.

Czech midfielder Jiri Jarosik took aim from long range and his fierce drive was goalbound until McGregor managed to palm it over the bar.

Just as Celtic were pressing, they were disrupted by a serious injury to defender Stephen McManus, who was stretchered off after a nasty clash of heads with Daniel Cousin.

Celtic started the second half well and Jarosik should have tested McGregor when he seized on a poor clearance, but he scuffed his effort woefully wide.

McGregor blocked well from Gary Caldwell soon after and that save would prove decisive as Rangers increased their lead in the 57th minute.

Once again Hutton was the catalyst with a cross that Celtic struggled to deal with. Lee McCulloch’s effort fell to Ferguson, who got between two defenders to stab past Artur Boruc for his first goal since August.

Celtic were shattered by that blow and, with their booking count rising by the minute, there was only one winner now.

The cherry on the cake came in the 79th minute. Evander Sno conceded a penalty for a challenge on Charlie Adam and Novo stepped up to stroke home his fourth goal of the season.

It was Rangers’ biggest win over Celtic for nearly seven years and the party at Ibrox was only just starting.