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Rangers 1-0 Dundee United: League leaders edge out Covid-hit visitors to extend lead at top

Tavernier penalty v Dundee United
Scott McMann’s clear handball allowed Rangers captain James Tavernier to covert a winning penalty

Rangers extended their lead at the Scottish Premiership summit with their eighth consecutive league win after edging out a Covid-hit Dundee United.

The depleted visitors, who had four teenagers in their line-up, held firm for more than 70 minutes before captain James Tavernier slammed in a penalty.

The result stretches Rangers’ advantage to seven points, but League Cup finalists Celtic have a game in hand.

United, who have one win in their last nine, drop to fifth.

However, it was a hugely impressive effort from Thomas Courts’ men, who had an entire XI of first-team regulars – including the likes of Benjamin Siegrist, Jeando Fuchs, Ian Harkes, Peter Pawlett, Ilmari Niskanen and Marc McNulty – missing for the trip.

But Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side showed the mark of champions and found a way to win, ensuring the Dutchman’s winning league start continues.

Travelling to Ibrox will a full squad would have still been a daunting assignment for United, given the run of form they have endured, coupled with the fact Rangers are unbeaten at home in the league since March 2020.

But with four teenagers in a depleted starting XI, getting any kind of positive result was bordering on insurmountable for Courts when Alan Muir blew the first whistle.

It wasn’t just in the United line-up there was eye-catching team news, though, as Rangers right-backs Tavernier and Nathan Patterson started together for the first time.

Captain Tavernier began at centre-back, with Patterson in his natural position, but the experiment only lasted a matter of minutes as Tavernier was beaten far too easily by Adrian Sporle in the build-up to an effort on goal from Nicky Clark.

Courts’ youngsters were shining in the Ibrox fog, as 18-year-old Chris Mochrie had a goalbound close-range shot blocked.

Rangers showed fleeting signs of clicking into gear in the first half, with Alfredo Morelos dragging a finish wide and forcing Trevor Carson to tip a header over either side of efforts from Glen Kamara, John Lundstram and Tavernier.

But too often their play was safe and slack in a largely pedestrian first-half showing. Scott Wright’s half-time introduction for Lundstram gave the hosts more in attack as Rangers turned the screw.

Morelos drilled over on the turn before neat play in the box between the Colombian and Wright resulted in the former Aberdeen man forcing Carson into a fine stop.

Then came the penalty, as Scott McMann’s clear handball allowed captain Tavernier to step up and dispatch to Carson’s right.

Rangers passed up chances to settle to game and left the door open for a spirited United, who gave their hosts a fright when teenager Darren Watson headed off the bar in injury time after poor defending from the hosts.

But Van Bronckhorst’s men survived the scare to keep momentum rolling while turning up the heat on Celtic.

Man of the match – Scott Wright

Scott Wright
The former Aberdeen forward’s introduction at the break was key in Rangers becoming more of a threat after a laboured first half

What did we learn?

When the teams were announced, you would be forgiven for expecting a demoralising day for United. A fourth consecutive defeat will hurt, of course, but Courts can take huge pride in his young side for going toe to toe with the league leaders.

The United boss has giving youth a chance high on his agenda, and performances like that will give him encouragement to throw them in again.

Van Bronckhorst wasn’t mucking about when he hooked Lundstram at the break. Wright’s introduction was the catalyst for an improved second-half display and the Dutchman must take credit for that.

The Ibrox side’s last league defeat, a 1-0 loss at Tannadice in August, feels a long time ago now and has been followed by 17 Premiership games. When leagues are won, games like these are considered the ones that pushed teams over the line.

What did they say?

Dundee United head coach Thomas Courts: “The performance and result can sometimes spiral at venues like this, but they [young players] really represented the club fantastically well in what’s been a really tough week.

“I’m really proud of them. Barring a penalty incident, I don’t think there was too much in the game. They really have to take a big stride forward and experience this on a regular basis.”

What’s next?

Both teams resume Premiership action on 26 December as Rangers host St Mirren and Dundee United welcome Hibernian (both 15:00 GMT).

Player of the match

MeekisonArchie Meekison

with an average of 7.11

Rangers

  1. Squad number17Player nameAribo
    Average rating

    5.45

  2. Squad number16Player namePatterson
    Average rating

    5.34

  3. Squad number1Player nameMcGregor

    Average rating

    5.32

  4. Squad number14Player nameKent

    Average rating

    5.20

  5. Squad number2Player nameTavernier

    Average rating

    5.19

  6. Squad number23Player nameWright

    Average rating

    5.17

  7. Squad number3Player nameBassey

    Average rating

    5.12

  8. Squad number18Player nameKamara

    Average rating

    5.10

  9. Squad number20Player nameMorelos

    Average rating

    4.90

  10. Squad number37Player nameArfield

    Average rating

    4.87

  11. Squad number6Player nameGoldson

    Average rating

    4.84

  12. Squad number7Player nameHagi

    Average rating

    4.80

  13. Squad number4Player nameLundstram

    Average rating

    4.68

Dundee United

  1. Squad number32Player nameMeekison

    Average rating

    7.11

  2. Squad number26Player nameMochrie

    Average rating

    7.08

  3. Squad number30Player nameWatson

    Average rating

    7.07

  4. Squad number52Player nameMoore

    Average rating

    7.06

  5. Squad number3Player nameSpörle

    Average rating

    7.04

  6. Squad number12Player nameEdwards

    Average rating

    7.03

  7. Squad number4Player nameMulgrew

    Average rating

    7.03

  8. Squad number21Player nameGlass

    Average rating

    7.02

  9. Squad number33Player nameMcMann

    Average rating

    7.00

  10. Squad number10Player nameClark

    Average rating

    6.99

  11. Squad number27Player nameAppéré

    Average rating

    6.90

  12. Squad number14Player nameHoti

    Average rating

    6.86

  13. Squad number28Player nameSmith

    Average rating

    6.83

  14. Squad number16Player nameCarson

    Average rating

    6.69

Line-ups

Rangers

Formation 4-3-3

  • 1McGregorBooked at 90mins
  • 2Tavernier
  • 6Goldson
  • 3Bassey
  • 16Patterson
  • 37ArfieldSubstituted forAriboat 64′minutes
  • 4LundstramSubstituted forWrightat 45′minutes
  • 18Kamara
  • 7Hagi
  • 20Morelos
  • 14Kent

Substitutes

  • 15Simpson
  • 17Aribo
  • 22Bacuna
  • 23Wright
  • 30Sakala
  • 33McLaughlin
  • 43King

Dundee Utd

Formation 3-5-2

  • 16Carson
  • 12Edwards
  • 4Mulgrew
  • 33McMann
  • 30Watson
  • 26MochrieBooked at 61minsSubstituted forHotiat 65′minutes
  • 52MooreSubstituted forSmithat 70′minutes
  • 32MeekisonBooked at 34mins
  • 3Spörle
  • 21GlassSubstituted forAppéréat 58′minutesBooked at 82mins
  • 10Clark

Substitutes

  • 11Chalmers
  • 14Hoti
  • 27Appéré
  • 28Smith
  • 31Newman
  • 46Thomson
  • 50O’Donnell

Referee:
Alan Muir

Attendance:
49,252

Match Stats

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Rangers 1, Dundee United 0.

  2. Second Half ends, Rangers 1, Dundee United 0.

  3. Allan McGregor (Rangers) is shown the yellow card.

  4. Darren Watson (Dundee United) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box.

  5. Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Charlie Mulgrew.

  6. Attempt blocked. Joe Aribo (Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Alfredo Morelos.

  7. Glen Kamara (Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  8. Foul by Kerr Smith (Dundee United).

  9. Foul by Ianis Hagi (Rangers).

  10. Louis Appéré (Dundee United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Attempt saved. Ianis Hagi (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Scott Wright.

  12. Louis Appéré (Dundee United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

  13. Connor Goldson (Rangers) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

  14. Foul by Louis Appéré (Dundee United).

  15. Attempt missed. Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) right footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high following a corner.

  16. Attempt blocked. Connor Goldson (Rangers) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by James Tavernier with a cross.

  17. Corner, Rangers. Conceded by Charlie Mulgrew.

  18. Offside, Rangers. James Tavernier tries a through ball, but Alfredo Morelos is caught offside.

  19. Ryan Kent (Rangers) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  20. Foul by Kerr Smith (Dundee United).

Sourced From BBC

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