Fernandez heads in fifth of season & Raskin nods in second
Ibrox side move above Celtic & within three of leaders Hearts
Aberdeen stay in eighth
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
It's been a great start to 2026 for Rangers, with wins over Celtic and Aberdeen lifting them up to second in the table.
You can watch highlights of tonight's game on Sportscene, which is starting right now on BBC One Scotland.
Or you can hang around and watch from the link at the top of this page.
Image source, SNSFT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound
Danny Rohl doesn't get carried away, he's very aware where the team is at the moment and where it needs to improve.
They're not controlling and dominating games as much as he'd want. He's a good manager with a keen eye for what's on the park and not a figment of his imagination.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
A bit more from Rangers boss Danny Rohl: "It's still the same players as three months ago. It's outstanding from my players what they've done in the past couple of weeks.
"At first it's not about me but about my coaching team, this is very important. The key is to analyse what's important and what's possible with the group. This is the reason why I sometimes change the shape.
"It's about giving the players belief and self confidence. This is my experience when I worked for Bayern Munich, the big players, you need confidence. If they have confidence you can really grow as a group."
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
We'll forgive Danny Rohl since English is not his first language but that does not apply to any sportswriters using "close the gap".
Once a gap is closed, there is no gap.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Rangers head coach Danny Rohl tells BBC Scotland: "Fantastic, three points, clean sheet. All in all, very proud of the group at the moment.
"We close the gap to just three points from 13 when I arrived. It's a statement but still not what we want. We're on a journey, it's about the next game on Sunday.
"When I took over two years ago at Sheffield Wednesday we were 12, 13 points under the line. In the end we survived. In football, everything is possible.
"It's about small steps, belief, bringing confidence back and trusting the players. At the moment we're in a good way but have a lot of things to do."
Rohl says Mikey Moore suffered a muscle problem but hopes it's not serious.
He also suggests strengthening midfield is a priority in the transfer window.
Image source, SNSFT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Tom English
BBC Scotland chief sports writer on Sportsound
Aberdeen have a lot of nice players. They need a couple of unpleasant characters with dig and aggression.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven tells BBC Scotland: "I saw a team that were fighting, front-footed, creating chances. But we still come away with nothing.
"That's something I told them, at this club we need to be getting at least a point at places like this or taking all three.
"We had the clearer chances. We had four or five in the second half. We'll have to sit down and see how we can get better. The boys will get confidence from that."
On sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel joining him on the dugout, he says: "It was fine, he's a football man, another voice, another opinion, someone to bounce ideas off."
Leven adds that he thinks he will be in charge for the repeat of this fixture at Pittodrie this weekend.
Image source, SNSFT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Billy Dodds
Former Rangers & Aberdeen striker on BBC Sportsound
Connor Barron should be the six and Nico Raskin should be on the outside of him. You miss so much of Raskin going forward [when he plays deep].
He's a midfielder with technique and energy and they could sell him for double the money they would get if they sold him as a defensive midfielder.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Asked if he expects to be in charge for Sunday's home game against Rangers, interim Aberdeen manager Peter Leven says "I think so".
We'll hear more from him soon.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound
Aberdeen, huge club, big job, very attractive job. But there are red flags waving over it. The fact the chairman has hired and fired a number of managers quickly and there's a bloated squad there.
Image source, SNSBeen said many times but what a job Danny Rohl has done. If you’d have said back in October this Rangers team would be three points off the top, your sanity would quite rightly have been questioned. It could be one of the most exciting run-ins ever.
Al
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Hearts and Celtic both have a game in hand on Rangers in what promises to be a thrilling title race.
Remember, Rangers were 11 points off the top in eighth place after the seven Premiership games Russell Martin was in charge for.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Michael Stewart
Former Scotland midfielder on BBC Sportsound
Aberdeen never looked like they were going to get into the game. They had loads of chances but strikes were weak, passes were off the mark.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Tom English
BBC Scotland chief sports writer on Sportsound
It wasn't a great game but that doesn't matter for Rangers because the result is all that counts and their winning run continues. They have to sign in this window but they're now signing from a position of strength.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Aberdeen stay eighth in the table and their winless run in all competitions stretches to six games.
FT: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
That's four straight wins for Rangers now.
Danny Rohl has amassed 32 points from his 13 games in charge.
Rangers go second in the Scottish Premiership, three points behind Hearts and three in front of Celtic.
The second half was a bit disappointing but the job was done before the break with Emmanuel Fernandez and Nicolas Raskin scoring with headers from corners.
Image source, SNSRangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Leighton Clarkson thinks he's found a late, late lifeline for Aberdeen but his shot hits defender Emmanuel Fernandez and spins just off target.
Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen
Warm applause for Connor Barron as the Rangers midfielder departs.
Max Aarons is on for the last throes of the game.
Emmanuel Fernandez scored the opening goal for Rangers
At a glance
Fernandez and Raskin head in from corners in first half for dominant Rangers
Managerless Aberdeen pass up two great chances on break
Rangers move above Celtic into second, three points behind Hearts
Rangers strolled to victory over dismal and managerless Aberdeen to move above Celtic and just three points behind leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.
It was critical for Danny Rohl's men to back up Old Firm victory to continue their momentum in this intriguing title race and they took the points with ease at Ibrox.
They got the start they wanted when Emmanuel Fernandez rose highest to power home from a corner 11 minutes in, and Nicolas Raskin did the same before the break from another Connor Barron corner.
It was efficient stuff from Rangers, but in truth they were given an easy ride by a meek Aberdeen, playing for the first time since the dismissal of Jimmy Thelin.
Dimitar Mitov's calamitous attempt at gathering the corner for the opener left the goal open for Fernandez, then Nicky Devlin allowed Raskin to trot across the front post and nod home the second.
Aberdeen fashioned two golden chances on the break but failed to have a strike from either as Kenan Bilalovic's touch let him down twice.
After the interval, Rangers continued to dominate and, although they could not add another goal, they nonetheless leap above Celtic in the Premiership table.
Aberdeen, who did improve offensively after the break, stay in eighth.
Rangers have dragged themselves back into title race - but Rohl wants more
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No side has taken more points in the Premiership than Rangers since Rohl took charge at Ibrox. The German has been flexible and slowly made improvements to the team and individuals.
Old Firm hero Youssef Chermiti is an obvious one, but Barron is growing into an authoritative presence in midfield.
His work rate and aggression sets the tone, and his movement to pick up spaces behind Aberdeen's midfield caused them issues all game.
Add to that his delivery from corners, which led to both goals, and he has become a key pick for Rohl having been a reserve under Russell Martin.
The addition of set-piece coach Scott Fry alongside Rohl also apears to be paying off for Rangers, who are now into double figures for goals from corners this season.
It is one of a number of improvements which have Rangers right in the mix to win the Premiership despite their bleak start when Martin toiled.
The fact Aberdeen did create a few gilt-edged chances from nothing is a reminder they still have improvement to make, especially at the back, and this month remains important to give Rohl better tools to make a tilt at a first league crown since 2021.
Barron touches in a dominant display against Aberdeen
Aberdeen, meanwhile, look in desperate need of leadership after Thelin's departure.
Interim manager Peter Leven stepped into the dugout, accompanied unusually by sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel, who is leading the search for a new boss.
But the pair were largely helpless as familiar issues plagued Aberdeen.
Mitov has gone from Scottish Cup hero to regular liability in goal as he cost his team the opener with more uncertain goalkeeping.
Set-pieces have been problem all season - often the symptom of a side lacking direction - and Rangers could easily have scored four or five from corners alone.
Despite plenty of numbers in midfield, they were again mostly run ragged, and when they did muster the chances, they had zero conviction.
Most notably when Bilalovic only had Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland to beat but took a clumsy touch off his knee, and then when Nisbet tried to tee up the Swedish forward instead of taking a strike himself.
A new manager is needed quickly to give this ailing side some structure and confidence, or Aberdeen's season will drift into mediocrity.
Rangers head coach Danny Rohl: "Fantastic, three points, clean sheet. All in all, very proud of the group at the moment.
"We close the gap to just three points from 13 when I arrived. It's a statement but still not what we want. We're on a journey, it's about the next game on Sunday.
Aberdeen interim manager Peter Leven: "I saw a team that were fighting, front-footed, creating chances. But we still come away with nothing.
"We had the clearer chances. We had four or five in the second half. We'll have to sit down and see how we can get better. The boys will get confidence from that."
These two meet again at Pittodrie on Sunday (16:30 GMT) when Aberdeen will hope for a much-improved performance as Rangers aim for five straight wins.
After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 39 | 17 | 22 | 44 |
| |
| 21 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 32 | 17 | 15 | 41 |
| |
| 20 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 34 | 21 | 13 | 38 |
| |
| 21 | 9 | 9 | 3 | 30 | 16 | 14 | 36 |
| |
| 21 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 34 |
| |
| 20 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 27 | -6 | 27 |
| |
| 21 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 28 | 30 | -2 | 25 |
| |
| 21 | 7 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 26 | -6 | 25 |
| |
| 21 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 33 | -14 | 22 |
| |
| 19 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 16 | 26 | -10 | 18 |
| |
| 21 | 2 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 38 | -19 | 13 |
| |
| 20 | 1 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 40 | -20 | 9 |
|
Manager:Danny Röhl
Formation:4 - 1 - 4 - 1
Manager:Peter Leven
Formation:3 - 4 - 1 - 2
Scottish Premiership
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Rangers have won seven of their last eight home games against Aberdeen in all competitions, including their last four in a row since a 1-3 reverse in September 2023.
Aberdeen have only won one of their last six league meetings with Rangers (D2 L3), and could lose back-to-back Scottish Premiership clashes with them for the first time since December 2022 (3 in a row).
After only winning two of their first seven home league games of this season (D4 L1), Rangers have since won each of their last three at Ibrox.
Aberdeen have only won one of their last 11 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) league games (D2 L8), a 1-0 victory away to Kilmarnock in October.
Rangers have only lost their first home league game in one of the last 40 calendar years (W33 D6), going down 0-2 to Celtic in 2011. The Gers have won each of the last five occasions their first such match of a year has been against Aberdeen, each without conceding.
