In a second half which was marginally better than the first 45 minutes, the Poland international prevented his own captain Stephen McManus' misdirected header from sneaking in at the near post and then brilliantly blocked a point-blank header from Rangers defender David Weir.

Boruc has been under the spotlight again in recent weeks following a training-ground spat with Aiden McGeady which came in the wake of several high-profile blunders.

Strachan's simple analysis was that his side were the best in the first half and Rangers were better after the break.

The Hoops boss, however, was glad to see Boruc back on form.

"He didn't have too much to do but he had two smashing saves," Strachan said.

"He had a spring in his step and he made saves that he had been making for a long time. I liked what I saw today."

Strachan conceded that Boruc was a player who divides opinion.

"It depends which way you look at it," the Hoops boss said.

"If you like him it's confidence, if you don't like him it's arrogance.

"He's a big boy now, and some of you know that he is a huge personality in Poland and he has to deal with it.

"And he will get used to it."

Strachan was not too unhappy about retaining the two-point lead over Rangers at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

He said: "I would have been even happier if I was five points clear but I don't blame anyone bar ourselves.

"We have had a couple of opportunities in recent weeks to keep our seven-point lead but we didn't do well enough to do that.

"We kept the ball well in the first half but changed in the second half without knowing.

"We chucked Aiden and Georgios (Samaras) on but that changed the game to (Rangers') benefit.

"It had nothing to do with the two lads that went on, but the shape went and it gave them more chance on the counter-attack."

Strachan was pleased with Willo Flood's debut, with the Irishman adapting well to the game until he tired after the break when he was replaced by McGeady.

"I thought he did very well," the Celtic boss added.

"I was going to take Shunsuke Nakamura off but there is always that brilliance that 'Naka' can produce, a pass that nobody else can see.

"But Willo must be very pleased with himself."

Strachan had a joke at the expense of midfielder Scott Brown, who had to be substituted near the end after being clattered by Rangers keeper Allan McGregor in an aerial duel.

He quipped: "He got smashed in the face. It's not very good but he doesn't know so we are not telling him."