Rangers headed into the semi-final clash under pressure to stop Celtic moving closer to a domestic treble and also seeking to ensure they do not end the campaign empty handed.
And Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men moved into the Scottish Cup final by beating Celtic 2-1 after extra time, recovering from falling 1-0 behind.
Bonner believes that Rangers targeted Celtic’s midfield to good effect and stressed that the Gers’ mental strength was something Ange Postecoglou’s side were unable to match on the afternoon.
“What Rangers did today, compared to other derby games, is they hit Celtic in midfield”, Bonner said on BBC Sportsound.
“They went man-for-man at times.
“It was a brilliant match.
“This is Rangers’ day and they deserve it for their first-half performance.
“Celtic were not able to match that mental strength.”
Celtic still remain in control of the Scottish Premiership title race, but Rangers will hope the victory at Hampden affects the Bhoys’ league form as they try to close a six-point gap.
