The Scottish champions took the lead on 20 minutes when Nacho Novo, who sounds like he would be nice with a salsa dip, made up for an earlier miss to hammer home from six yards.
Rangers lead lasted only seven minutes. Robinho and Adebayor combining to set up Stephen Ireland and the youngster to beat Neil Alexander to draw City level. The remainder of the first half was fairly non descript and the teams went in level at half time.
Within seven minutes of the restart, City were in front. Martin Petrov, who looks like he is aiming to make up for lost time last season, went on a run towards goal before hammering a shot past the keeper to blast City into the lead.
But, just as in the first half, the lead didn't last long. Within two minutes, Kenny Miller lobbed Steven Davis' cross beyond Shay Given and it was all square again.
Both team pressed for a winner and Petrov again came close with a thirty yard free-kick. Vladimir Weiss replaced Robinho with ten minutes to go and the young City star made a stunning run down the right and cut the ball back superbly for Kelvin Etuhu, only for Steven Whittaker to block Etuhu's goalbound effort.
But luck was not on the blues side. With time running out, David Weir's shot takes a cruel deflection and beats Shay Given to earn the win for Rangers.
An entertaining game but nothing like the thirty eight Premiership matches that lie ahead for the blues, starting next Saturday at Blackburn. Get ready for the United fans abuse and the all the naysayers that will surely plague the boards.
Next up for City, Celtic at Eastlands.