What a player Rangers now have in Nico Raskin, a tenacious dynamo of a midfielder who makes tackles, plugs gaps and with every passing week seems to add more to his ever-improving game. Not content with the tireless industry that was a feature of Rangers’ better performances under Philippe Clement, the young Belgian has added an incisive edge to the package, as he showed in his team’s stunning 3-2 victory at Celtic Park. A terrific headed opener and an even better assist put Rangers 2-0 up in a derby that brought out the best in Raskin. For a wee man, he has boundless energy and courage, all of which set the tone for his team’s aggressive, high-pressing strategy. Like his team-mates, he needed resilience when the second half turned against them and he dug deep when the exertions of that midweek shootout drama against Fenerbahce seemed to have caught up with them. In truth, Celtic looked the likelier team to score a late winner, but when Hamza Igamane produced that spectacular 88th-minute strike, Rangers made off with all three points and Raskin the man-of-the-match award. And to think that, for a spell in the autumn, Raskin was struggling to re-establish himself in the side after another of the injuries that have bothered him since his move from Standard Liege just over two years ago. That was a time for Raskin to be patient. He lost weight, benefited from a run of games and, with James Tavernier unavailable, captained Rangers in the New Year derby. He was outstanding that day, inspiring his team to a 3-0 win at Ibrox. Raskin has often produced his best in the big games, which has maybe been a factor in his team’s split personality. He was crucial to the aggregate defeat of Fenerbahce, especially in that first leg, when his sublime pass set up Vaclav Cerny for Rangers’ third goal. Then came his decisive contribution at Celtic Park, two days after he received his first call-up to the full Belgium squad. Not a bad week’s work for the 24-year-old who will be hoping to make his international debut in a Nations League playoff against Ukraine on Thursday. It is a big opportunity for Raskin as the new Belgium coach, Rudi Garcia, sets about examining all his options in an effort to get their struggling team back on track. They have lost their last three games and are winless in five. That Raskin’s Belgium call-up coincides with the surprise omission of Celtic’s Arne Engels adds another fascinating strand to the narrative. While the two players are not exactly competing for the same international position, here is another excuse for the oneupmanship on which Old Firm rivalry thrives. Engels was Celtic’s marquee signing in the summer. Costing a club-record £11million from Augsburg, the midfielder came highly-rated and carried a weight of expectation on his shoulders. Perhaps for that reason, he was slow to settle, but recent performances have been strong and he showed his undoubted ability when Celtic pushed Bayern Munich all the way in Germany. Capped four times since his move to Scotland, he will be disappointed not to be involved with his country these next two weeks. Where Raskin is a grafting, gritty ball-winner who can also play a bit, Engels is a composed, technically-gifted footballer with strength and energy into the bargain. At Celtic Park, only one of the two produced the complete performance — and it wasn’t Engels. Occupying a deeper role in the absence of the injured Callum McGregor, the Belgian never quite picked up the pace of a derby that was brilliantly breathless, even by Old Firm standards. Celtic sorely missed McGregor. They lacked their usual rhythm, as well as his leadership and his ability to set the tempo. They yearned for his familiar presence in front of the defence, taking the ball in tight positions and setting them on their way. Engels shared that responsibility with Reo Hatate, but there was too often panic where normally there is calm. It only encouraged a Rangers team who boldly sought to meet their opponents high up the pitch. Raskin was all over Celtic like a rash. In the second minute, he tested Kasper Schmeichel with a left-foot shot. In the third, he rose above Jeffrey Schlupp to glance in Rangers’ opener. Then he set up their second, stealing in behind Engels to draw three defenders and flick on a header for Mohamed Diomande. The game was a tactical triumph for interim manager Barry Ferguson and a personal one for Raskin. Acquired for a modest fee, and capable of making Rangers a healthy profit, he is emerging as exactly the kind of player they will need to sign more of when the new owners usher in a brave new world at Ibrox.