Rangers' Dujon Sterling celebrates as he scores to make it 2-0 during a William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Dundee United at Ibrox StadiumSNS

Dujon Sterling scored Rangers' second goal in an important win

At a glance

  • Rangers survive nervy end to go top of Premiership for first time in two years

  • Naderi and Sterling put Ibrox side two goals up before Fatah replies for United

  • Aasgard restores two-goal lead but Sapsford scores on break to set up tense finish

  • Miovski nets Rangers' fourth with five minutes left to secure win

Thomas Duncan
BBC Sport Scotland

Rangers are top of the Scottish Premiership for the first time in two years - but only after a frantic and ultimately nervy win against Dundee United at Ibrox.

Long-time leaders Hearts can retake the position when they visit Livingston on Sunday, but for the first time since September will play with the pressure of being usurped, albeit only on goal difference.

In a scrappy yet open game, Rangers eventually proved too strong for United - who had put a major dent in Celtic's title hopes last time out - but only after surviving late pressure.

Ryan Naderi and Dujon Sterling put Rangers two goals in front despite some unconvincing play early on, before Amar Fatah's lovely finish on the break right on half-time quietened Ibrox.

Thelo Aaasgaard restored Rangers' comfortable advantage just seven minutes into the second half after a fine move involving Tochi Chukwuani and Djeidi Gassama.

But their inability to shut down a wide-open game or finish their chances left them vulnerable and United struck again on the break through Zac Sapsford to set up a nervy final quarter.

United centre-back Iurie Iovu even headed off a post with six minutes to go as Rangers threatened to throw away victory.

But all the tension was released when Bojan Miovski swept home their fourth goal from the edge of the box to take Rangers to the top of the league.

Analysis: Attacking Rangers overcome lapses

At this stage of the season, winning is really all that matters for Rangers as they look to claim what would have been an unlikely league title seven months ago.

Performances are secondary and perhaps it is just as well because Danny Rohl's side have yet to fully convince despite churning out victories.

Here they created more chances than United and ultimately deserved their win - but in the first half their midfield struggled and they relied on some poor defending from the visitors to get in front.

Firstly, Naderi was presented with a gift by goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer when he flapped at Aasgaard's shot from the edge of the box.

And then Rangers capitalised when Naderi was completely unmarked at a throw-in, eventually working the ball to Sterling who did enough to convert with some help from Iovu.

The introduction of Gassama and Youssef Chermiti at half-time improved Rangers as an attacking force, with the former delivering the ball on a plate for Aasgaard to make it 3-1.

While Chermiti's driving run and pass helped Miovksi score the crucial fourth goal, the Portuguese striker should have netted at least one himself when presented with good chances.

Full-time stats from Rangers v Dundee UnitedOpta

That profligacy and slack defending from John Souttar and Jayden Meghoma, as well as an open approach to the game, meant the home fans had to suffer a far more nervous ending than they should have.

But the importance of applying psychological pressure to Hearts by usurping them, however briefly it may be, was huge and Rangers did enough to make it happen.

As for United, this was a microcosm of their season. A lot of good pressure without the ball, as well as Fatah and others shining on the break.

The Swedish forward's clean finish after stepping inside Souttar following a driving run from Emmanuel Agyei was superb. As was his pass inside Meghoma for Luca Stephenson, who set up Sapsford for the second goal.

However, they were held back by some really poor defending. The mistakes for the first two goals in particular were frustrating given the positive start United had made.

The fact they have not won back-to-back league games this season sums up their inconsistency and even manager Jim Goodwin would probably concede they do not deserve to finish in the top half.

What they said

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl: "It feels good because we won the game today. This is a big compliment to my group. It shows a lot about the character and mentality and quality to win games.

"It's not just that we win games, but also we score a lot of goals as well. That's also a big compliment to the group.

"I like clean sheets and the last two games we've conceded one and then two today. It's a little bit too much for me because we needed four goals and in some games you won't have the chance for four goals.

"We need to be stronger against the ball. But we want to play exciting football and in some phases of the game we played enjoyable football."

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We wanted to build on fourth place last year and knew how difficult that was going to be with the teams we were competing with when you consider the budgets of some of the teams above us in the league.

"We felt we had enough in the group to be a top-six team and unfortunately we fell short. We know the areas we need to improve - we've conceded far too many goals over the course of the season."

What's next for these teams?

Rangers travel to in-form Falkirk next Sunday in their final pre-split game (12:00 BST) while United host bottom side Livingston on Saturday at Tannadice (15:00).

Player of the match

J. Butland
6.00
1 J. Butland
6.00
30 J. Meghoma
6.00
24 N. Djiga
6.00
5 J. Souttar
6.00
21 D. Sterling
6.00
42 T. Chukwuani
6.00
43 N. Raskin
6.00
47 M. Moore
6.00
11 T. Aasgaard
6.00
7 A. Skov Olsen
6.00
20 R. Naderi
6.00
8 C. Barron
6.00
23 D. Gassama
6.00
28 B. Miovski
6.00
9 Youssef Chermiti
6.00
2 J. Tavernier
6.00
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