Resolute Rangers kept Celtic's champagne on ice but a gripping derby draw leaves Ange Postecoglou's side tantalisingly close to title glory.
The Premiership leaders set a course for their 10th title in 11 years when Jota's volley ignited Celtic Park but Fashion Sakala's second-half equaliser earned the reigning champions a point.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst's side could well have claimed the maximum spoils they desperately needed in the final minutes were it not for Joe Hart and then the width of Celtic's post.
But ultimately the odds dictate it will surely not be enough to stop their rivals reclaiming the league trophy.
Victory over Hearts next week will effectively see Postecoglou's side, carrying a hugely superior goal difference, over the line for a title triumph that few predicted at the start of the season.
Rangers found themselves in the rather unusual position where a clash with their old foes was arguably of secondary importance pre-match, given they could reach the Europa League final by beating RB Leipzig in midweek.
But that momentous occasion did not spark the changes in Van Bronckhorst's line-up that many expected as only Ryan Jack and Scott Wright made way from Thursday night's first leg.
Rangers made a far less 'rabbit in the headlights' start than their last visit to this venue, with John Lundstram and Steven Davis exerting an early stranglehold in midfield.
That composed opening counted for little, however, when they conceded a near carbon copy of Liel Abada's bedlam-inducing third that night.
There's just something about that back post that puts Borna Barisic to sleep and this time it was Jota on hand to punish, turning home Daizen Maeda's clever run and cross.
Suddenly Rangers weren't so sure of themselves, made to rue an earlier Ryan Kent miss and contend with an emboldened Celtic finding their attacking groove.
Had Maeda been braver in the face of an onrushing Allan McGregor he would've headed home a second before Kyogo fired wide from the edge of the box as the hosts finished the half the stronger.
Rangers started the second period with intent but again it was Celtic who carved the opportunities on the counter.
But Maeda was wasteful once more, blazing over inside the box after the visitors failed to clear. Jota, on the other hand, was the very opposite of wasteful as he led a period of pressure that had Celtic Park edging into party mode.
It all fell a bit flat, however, when Sakala finished off a slick Rangers move by blasting brilliantly beyond Joe Hart at his near post.
The two faced off again moments later, but this time Hart palmed over after the livewire forward had escaped the attentions of Cameron Carter-Vickers.
It was to be the beginnings of a frenzied finish - with Hart twice saving brilliantly from close range before Sakala raced through to hit the post one-on-one.
Ultimately there was to be no decisive third goal, an outcome that much better suits Celtic, who are now very much champions in waiting.
5 talking points
Champagne on ice - for now
They will almost certainly still get the job done, but Celtic will rue a missed opportunity to effectively confirm themselves as champions in the most ideal of scenarios.
Three points against their great rivals would've pretty much put the green and white ribbons on the trophy for the 10th time in 11 years but a stubborn Rangers refused to hand the trophy over just yet.
What will frustrate Celtic most is they carved out enough chances to put the game beyond their rivals before Sakala's equaliser, with Maeda in particular missing the target with two excellent opportunities.
The disappointment will be short lived, however, if Postecoglou's players can see off Hearts next week to all-but confirm a title triumph that might just rank among the sweetest of all for the Parkhead faithful.
Rangers dig deep - but it's not enough
In hindsight, was it a tad naive to think Rangers would make wholesale changes, regardless of what's at stake in midweek?
There's been an air of apathy among supporters, some of whom had already given up on the title but, realistically, Van Bronckhorst couldn't allow his dressing room to think that way.
A makeshift eleven would have been a signal that their manager believed the league was already beyond his players, which isn't exactly the message he'd want to send on such a huge week for the club.
In the end, Van Bronckhorst's team selection was strong and his side may feel they should have left Celtic Park with a victory.
But despite delaying Celtic's title party, the reality for the Ibrox side is that it's likely still just a matter of time.
Barisic caught again
You'd think given the attention Barisic's momentary nap received on his last visit to Celtic Park he'd have made sure to stay alive and alert any time the ball came his way from Celtic's left flank.
His error on this occasion wasn't quite as glaring in comparison but it was more costly.
Rangers had a decent level of control until then and the goal brought Celtic to life as an attacking force.
Barisic appeared to be re-finding some form having been dropped by Van Bronckhorst in the wake of his previous howler but this incident might just have his manager questioning how much he can rely on the Croatian in the biggest fixtures.
Jota on the wing
The Portuguese really is a dazzling footballer when he's in the mood.
He was Celtic's primary threat all afternoon and his clinical volleyed finish was exactly what Rangers lacked when Kent passed up a strikingly similar chance at the other end minutes earlier.
Up against Barisic, Jota was a constant menace, brimming with confidence and delivering the effectiveness required alongside his colourful and varied box of tricks.
The £6million to bring him in permanently from Benfica feels like a serious no-brainer given his potential.
It's a decision which may ultimately fall to the player, but he certainly feels to have found a home at Celtic.
Evolution of a derby
Scottish football occasionally finds itself accused of not moving with the times but its most famous fixture has undergone something of an evolution recently.
Once famed for its blood and thunder, this derby has slowly become a more technically proficient, tactically astute game of modern football.
Interestingly, in five meetings this season there have been no red cards between the sides. There has, however, been an abundance of inverted full-backs and false nines.
Meaty challenges are still celebrated like goals on the terraces and that probably won't ever change, but it's a different kind of intensity that's coming to define the fixture now, one of co-ordinated presses and fast-paced passing football.
One thing remains constant, mind you, it's no less gripping.
