Captain Dan Neil scored two brilliant goals as Rangers thrashed Celtic 3-0 to cruise into the semi-finals of the Scottish League Cup.

Neil, playing in his first Old Firm derby, lit up the occasion with two efforts from outside the box as the Derek McInnes era at Ibrox finally took off after a slow start for the former Hearts boss.

For Celtic, it brought an end to their 100% start to the domestic season after seven successive wins in league and cup.

Rangers, who were knocked out of both Scottish cup competitions by their arch enemies last season, almost went ahead after six minutes when Sam Johnstone’s terrible clearance fell at the feet of Kevin Kelsy but he shot wastefully wide.

Johnstone, on loan from Wolves, had another nervy moment shortly after, flapping at a cross but Liam Scales did superbly to clear Kim Min-su’s goalbound effort off the line.

Rangers captain Neil breaks the deadlock

Rangers’ pressure finally told midway through the first half when Kelsy played in Neil and the former Sunderland man coolly slotted his shot past Johnstone.

Martin O’Neill reacted by bringing on Haissem Hassan for Sebastian Tounekti at half-time and although the Egypt winger was lively, his presence alone could not stem the tide.

Kim had an effort saved by Johnstone before Rangers doubled their advantage after 59 minutes with Kelsy scoring his first Rangers goal from a James Penrice cross.

It was nearly 3-0 shortly afterwards but Emmanuel Fernandez’s effort was disallowed after clipping Nico Raskin, who was standing in an offside position, on its way in.

Neil did add the gloss on a brilliant afternoon for Rangers with 15 minutes to go, curling another brilliant effort into the right-hand corner with Johnstone grasping at thin air.

Celtic’s frustration boiled over and there was a skirmish after Penrice smashed the ball into a prone Hassan but nothing could detract from a wonderful afternoon for Rangers, who joined Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian in the last four.

Rangers and Celtic meet again next weekend in the Premiership but this time the game takes place at Celtic Park.