Light Blues midfielder Steven Whittaker was sent off by referee Calum Murray in the 35th minute after picking up his second booking for a foul on Emilio Izaguirre.

The two sets of players were involved in a bust-up as they went up the tunnel at the interval before Wilson scored his first goal in an Old Firm game three minutes in to the second half.

Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra was sent off in injury time after picking up his second yellow card but there was more mayhem after the final whistle confirmed that Celtic were through to the quarter-finals where they will visit Inverness.

As Parkhead manager Neil Lennon and Rangers assistant boss Ally McCoist had to be pulled apart, the Ibrox side’s controversial striker El-Hadji Diouf, booked earlier after a touchline altercation with Lennon and involved in yet another running feud with Hoops skipper Scott Brown, was booked again and red-carded for approaching Murray.

Asked if the Govan side had lost their discipline, Wilson replied: “I don’t want to criticise them too much or make any headlines but obviously it looked like that.

“They were complaining about things and a few of them touched the referee when he was trying to book them.

“I knew things weren’t going their way but I’m sure they will be disappointed in that.

“These games are very emotional and if you lose them then it’s very hard to take.

“I’m sure it was entertaining to watch. It is when you are standing at the back watching it, like I was.”

Wilson revealed he had a close view of the battle between Brown and Diouf.

He said: “The players are coming up against each other a lot and battles from previous games are over running in to the next game.

“You have certain players who have a go at each other – you know who I’m talking about – and they need to keep calm.

“The two of them are very controversial characters.

“It’s part of Scott’s game, that’s what he does. Diouf is probably the same, he has had a long career and he is never far from controversy himself.

“So put those two together on the same side of the pitch and it’s a bit of a nightmare.

“I am behind them trying to calm them down.”

Wilson’s goal will be overshadowed by the mayhem which engulfed the game but he said: “To beat Rangers at any times as a Celtic player and a Celtic fan is a special moment and to score the goal that wins the game, I couldn’t have dreamt that. It was fantastic.”

Lennon and McCoist are bound to be in trouble with the Scottish Football Association as is Bougherra, for grabbing Murray’s hand as the official tried to issue his second yellow, and Diouf, for his antics after the final whistle.

The Celtic boss is up at Hampden today to appeal a six-match ban following a touchline bust-up in the 2-0 defeat by Hearts at Tynecastle in November.