In what was a tense match, with both teams looking to bounce back from European frustration, the Light Blues performed well in front of a 50,031 crowd at Ibrox but couldn’t turn their hard work into goals on this occasion.
Russell Martin made five changes to his starting line-up from the side that faced Club Brugge in Belgium in midweek.
And the big news was a starting place for new signing Bojan Miovski with captain James Tavernier, Connor Barron, Mohamed Diomande and Mikey Moore also getting the nod from their head coach.
As the teams emerged from the Bill Struth Main Stand’s tunnel prior to kick-off, the stadium erupted, creating an atmosphere few games in the world can match. The pyrotechnics and a stunning banner display in the Copland Stand only added to the pre-match build-up.
The visitors got the action underway from the kick-off, with Rangers shooting towards supporters in the Broomloan Stand, and the Light Blues started positively with the midfield trio of Barron, Diomande and Aasgaard seeing a lot of the ball.
Barron, in particular, was playing like a man possessed in the early stages with Miovski also putting a shift as the lone striker on his home debut.
As the half-hour mark approached, there was little to separate the sides, with neither Jack Butland nor Kasper Schmeichel called into action to make a save up to this point.
On 32 minutes, however, the Rangers supporters thought their side had taken the lead when John Souttar glanced a brave header into the net from a terrific Tavernier free-kick delivery, but an offside decision was made after a VAR check.
The Ibrox faithful were out of their seats pushing their team forward and the players were responding by crunching into every tackle and showing great commitment and desire.
Diomande, like his midfield partner Barron, was industrious but that could be said for every player in blue, including 17-year-old Moore who was impressing on the left wing.
The game, however, remained goalless at the half-time whistle with both managers walking up the tunnel with a lot to ponder.
Rangers again started the second period on the front foot, with Moore sending a shot from distance well over the bar 60 seconds in.
And on 52 minutes Gassama showed great pace to get beyond Kieran Tierney but his dangerous low cross bounced up into the hands of a relieved Schmeichel.
At the other end of the pitch Butland will have had busier afternoons, but he had to be sharp to hold a powerful drive from Reo Hatate, which was straight at the towering goalkeeper.
Moore was the recipient of a yellow card following a clumsy challenge on Benjamin Nygren and from the free-kick that followed the ball arrived at Tierney who, with his back to goal, tried an audacious overhead kick which was easily saved by Rangers’ number one.
With Brendan Rodgers having already made a couple of substitutions, on 72 minutes Martin made a double-change, with Cyriel Dessers replacing Miovski and Oliver Antman going on for youngster Moore. Aasgaard also made way for Nedim Bajrami moments later.
The fresh legs were important towards the latter stages of the game as Rangers kept the pressure on but the derby finished 0-0 prior to the international break.
RANGERS: Butland, Tavernier, Souttar, Barron (Rothwell 80), Diomande, Aasgaard (Bajami 74), Gassama (Curtis 80), Djiga, Miovski (Dessers 72), Meghoma, Moore (Antman 72)
SUBS NOT USED: Kelly, Aarons, Fernandez, Danilo
BOOKINGS: Moore, Diomande, Djiga
CELTIC: Schmeichel, Scales, Nygren, Balikwisha (Forrest 64), Carter-Vickers, Engles (Yamada 64), Maeda, Hatate, McGregor, Ralston, Tierney (Saracchi 72)
SUBS NOT USED: Sinisalo, Yang, McCowan, Bernardo, Murray, Donovan
BOOKINGS: -
REF: Don Robertson
ATT: 50,031