Rangers take top spot with victory over St Johnstone

GLASGOW: Rangers swept to the top of the Scotish Premiership with a 3-0 win against St Johnstone on Wednesday, while champions Celtic were unable to keep pace ater their match was postponed for a breach of coronavirus lockdown rules.

Steven Gerrard’s side extended their perfect start to the season with a third successive victory.

Rangers moved above Hibernian on goal difference -- and five points clear of arch rivals Celtic --- thanks to strikes from Borna Barisic, Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo at Ibrox.

If Rangers can maintain that 100 per cent record against Livingston and Kilmarnock over the next two weekends, then Celtic will return to action a week on Saturday with an 11-point deficit and a looming fixture pile-up to worry about.

Elsewhere, Alan Forrest neted his first goal for Livingston to earn a 2-2 draw against Motherwell at Fir Park.

David Turnbull and Allan Campbell both scored for Motherwell in the first half either side of a Lyndon Dykes penalty for Livingston.

Ross Stewart’s 80th-minute penalty earned Ross County a 2-2 draw against Kilmarnock.

Wednesday’s action put the focus back on the pitch ater the coronavirus drama at Celtic on Tuesday, when Hoops boss Neil Lennon was livid ater Belgian defender Boli Bolingoli flew abroad, causing the club’s next two matches to be postponed.

Bolingoli admited he was “guilty of an error of judgement” ater playing in Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Kilmarnock despite having recently returned from Spain without quarantining.

The controversy followed the postponement of Aberdeen’s visit to St Johnstone ater two of their players tested positive for the coronavirus and a further six were instructed to self-isolate following a night out.