Gers romp ‘bad blood’ clash but are stung by injuries
The home dressing room at Ibrox must have looked like a scene from Casualty after this.
But on the pitch, it was Rangers inf l icting more pain on their Premiership rivals.
Incredibly, Steven Gerrard was lef t nursing FOUR inju red players with Leon Balogun, Ryan Jack, Brandon Barker and Alfredo Morelos all suffering knocks.
But the Gers boss’ agony was soothed by his team’s brutal beating of Dundee United to keep them top of the table.
Goals from Ryan Kent, skipper James Tavernier on his 250th game for the club, Kemar Roofe and Scott Arfield put Micky Mellon’s men to the sword.
A record seventh consecutive clean sheet at the start of the campaign should a lso keep Gerrard smiling for now.
This was a superb display from the Premiership leaders who looked hungry and full of intent on their return from the international break.
But United’s tormentor in chief Steven Davis admits the injuries, especial ly Morelos’ after he was carried off, left Rangers with mixed feelings.
The playmaker said: “There are a lot of positives for us. We could maybe have been a little bit more clinical but we played some really good football and had some really good phases of play.
“Obviously the disappointment comes from the injuries but hopefully they’reheyre not too bad.
“I’d have to see the tackle on Alfredo again. gain. It was a nasty gash he got on his leg.
“It’s disappointingppointing for Alfredo because he’s looked real llyy focused andd fit and getting back to what he canan be.”
In normall circumstances, this grudge matchch would have had an electric feeleel to it.
Given thee bad blood that festereded between the c lubss when Rangers wereere sent down to Scotland’stland’s bottom tierr – it wa s e a g e r l y anticipated..
But like e ver y thingng these days, it was sanitised. In an empty, eery stadium, you had to think it would help United. Rangers’ cause wasn’t helped by an injury to Balogun in the warm- up which saw Swedish international Filip Helander drafted in.
Mellon turned up with a gameplan to try and press Gerrard’s side high and force them to play long and early on, with his side’s boundless energy, it looked like it would properly test the home team. Early injuries to Jack and Barker could also easily have disrupted Rangers.
But they appear to be made of sterner stuff this term and in Kent they have a matchwinner who has taken his game on to a level mostmos Premiership sides can’tca cope with. Hi s openingo goal was a thingt of beauty. T hehe wingerw fed Ianis HagiH and the R omanian playedp a perfectly weightedw return to himh in the box. HisH twist and turn bamboozledbam United centre-cen back Ryan EdwardsEdw before he ddriri l led the bal l low past keeper BenjaminBenj Siegrist. It wasclinicalwascl and ruthless from the £ 7million wide man – exactly the kind of traits Gerrard has demanded from him.
Kent’s movement across the front line was causing United real problems.
And when it was on, Rangers weren’t afraid to go back to front in order to beat Mellon’s press.
It wasn’t aimless punts up the park. With the likes of Hagi and Kent making penetrative runs infield and Roofe willing to go in behind – Davis or even Connor Goldson were able to pick them out.
Glenn Kamara, who replaced Jack and had a positive impact on Gers’ play, f lashed a header wide before Hagi ’s long-range shot curled just past.
They got a second before half-time when their full-backs came to the fore.
Borna Barisic got high and wide to deliver a cross that deflected off United winger Luke Bolton. While the Croat claimed for handball, his centre fizzed along the six-yard box evading Siegrist – and Tavernier showed terrific desire to get in at the back and slide it home.
Mellon’s men hadn’t done a lot wrong but were still two down having carved out only a few half-chances.
By then, Morelos had joined Roofe in attack in place of Barker and with Davis and Kamara controlling the tempo, and Kent a constant threat, it was difficult to see a way back for United.
Even more so when Rangers’ intensity levels actually went up a notch after the break.
A third goal felt inevitable and it should have been Roofe’s when Kent teed up a gilt-edged chance that was saved by Siegrist. Then Hagi fired wide from inside the box.
Morelos was even getting in on the act, tracking back, making tackles and putting a shift in for the team.
How Kent didn’t knock in his whipped cross from close range is anyone’s guess.
But just when everything was looking good for the Colombian, he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after a late Edwards challenge left him writhing in agony with a gash at the top of his thigh. Only ref Kevin Clancy can explain why the defender didn’t even pick up a yellow card for the high tackle.
Siegrist was keeping the score down, stopping net-bound piledrivers from Hagi and sub Calvin Bassey.
But Rangers were relentless in pursuit of a third to kill the game off.
It finally came courtesy of Roofe who managed to divert an Arfield shot into the net after another slick move.
Arf ield almost got in on the act himself but Siegrist denied him.
At the other end, that clean sheet record almost went when Ian Harkes’ rocket beat Jon McLaughlin but crashed off the bar.
Rangers simply went up the park and grabbed a fourth as Arfield buried a Hagi pass into the top corner.
Davis added: “Everyone can see we’re enjoying our football and it was nice to see different people getting on the score sheet today.
“Good teams are always about balance and we feel we have that. I think we def initely have the quality to win the title but we need to go and show it.”