Rangers

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• Rangers' Djeidi Gassama has had more shots following carries (29) than any other player in the Scottish Premiership this season, while he ranks second in the division for successful dribbles (53), behind Ibrahim Said's 57.

• Rangers have scored four goals in both of their last two league games, last doing so three games running in the league in December 2020 under Steven Gerrard.

• None of Falkirk's last eight home league games have been drawn, with the Bairns winning four and losing four since a goalless draw with Motherwell in December.

• Rangers have only lost one of their last 47 top-flight meetings with Falkirk (W38 D8), a 0-1 defeat in December 2006 under Paul Le Guen.

• Falkirk are unbeaten in their last four home league games against Rangers (W2 D2) since a 2-0 defeat in the Scottish Championship in August 2014.

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Rangers now know their exact route to potential glory in the most unpredictable title race in Scotland's top flight for decades.

First up, as they already knew, is a second trip of the season to Falkirk - the venue for Russell Martin's final game in charge.

The result on Sunday could set the tone for the run-in.

Rangers could be back in third by the time the game kicks off, assuming Hearts and Celtic win their home games on Saturday, so it's yet another psychological shift for the players to deal with.

They have yet to beat Falkirk this season and now know they must play them away from home twice in their final six games. A win on Sunday is imperative and would augur well for what might well be a must-win game on the last day.

Rangers always knew they faced four away fixtures in their last half-dozen games and the run of three successive draws before the narrow win at St Mirren will be fresh in supporters' memories.

The flip side of that is they have more points per game on their travels than any other team, losing just once at Tynecastle.

Seven of their 15 away games have ended in draws and while a point at either Hearts or Celtic Park post-split may be valuable, they know they cannot afford to drop many more points if they are to finish the season on top.

That outcome is tantalisingly close but so much remains to be done to seal it.

This weekend will tell us a lot about whether Danny Rohl's side have the mettle to become champions.

Head coach Steven Pressley says Dundee will stick to their valuation of Luke Graham this summer, having already turned down big offers from Portsmouth for the 22-year-old centre-half in January. (The Courier), external

Luke Graham is very keen on a move to Rangers, who are working to get ahead of their rivals in the race for the Dundee centre-half's signature, but competition remains fierce, with Celtic and English clubs also interested in the 22-year-old. (TeamTalk), external

Dundee centre-half Luke Graham has a better chance of being a consistent starter for Rangers than he does with Celtic next season as both clubs eye a move for his services. (Football Insider), external

James Tavernier looks more likely to leave Rangers this summer with talks with the their 34-year-old captain about a new contract having stalled while pursuing their interest in taking 22-year-old Liverpool wide man Luca Stephenson, currently with Dundee United, on loan. (Football Insider), external

Leeds United are prepared to allow Joe Gelhardt to leave this summer despite his good form on loan to Hull City and Rangers will hope to use their financial links to the Championship club to their advantage in pursuing the 23-year-old forward for whom there is plenty of rival interest. (Football Insider), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Clive Lindsay
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers will hope 16 May and Hearts at Celtic Park is not a bad omen as they aim to emerge victorious from this season's three-way battle for the Scottish title.

While Danny Rohl's side have been handed a third trip of the season to Falkirk on the final weekend of the Premiership campaign, Derek McInnes' current leaders will head to the east end of Glasgow to face reigning champions Celtic.

And it will be 28 years to the day since Hearts beat Rangers 2-1 at the very same Celtic Park to lift the Scottish Cup.

The cup final had been switched from Hampden Park while the national stadium was being renovated, but Rohl will hope his rebuilt side will beat their Edinburgh rivals - and Celtic - to the silverware this time round.

This is the second season in a row when there has had to be imbalance in home and away fixtures for one team - this time because Falkirk have claimed an unexpected top-six place.

It is the sixth-placed Bairns themselves who the Scottish Professional Football League has decided to hand an extra home game, most likely because they are unlikely to be involved in the race for European qualification places.

That also means they will host Rangers for a third time, with the second coming on Sunday in the final game before the league splits in two for the final five fixtures.

Given there are only three points between third-top Celtic and Hearts, who are one ahead of Rangers, there is a good chance the title will not be decided before that final weekend and Falkirk have already proven difficult opponents, drawing both home and away with the Ibrox side.

Rangers will be hopeful of taking three points at home to Motherwell, who have slipped out of title contention, in their first game of the post-split fixtures on Sunday, 26 April.

However, it is the next two games that are potentially most crucial, and hazardous, away to both their title rivals - Hearts on Monday, 4 May, then Celtic six days later.

It will likely be vital that Rangers at least avoid defeat in both of those before concluding with what are, on paper, their two easiest games - at home to fifth-top Hibernian and then that potentially big day in Falkirk and a first title victory since 2021.

Jamie Currie
Fan writer

The weekend went pretty well for us.

Winning against Dundee Utd with a 4-2 result was welcome off the back of the Aberdeen victory before the international break.

However, the match itself threw up a few talking points over certain issues as we head into the final six fixtures.

The starting line-up, especially the defence, was a point of contention.

Unfortunately, Tuur Rommens is injured, but it was the inclusion of John Souttar that worried me, and he was involved in the concession of the first Dundee Utd goal.

As soon as Fatah ran at him, you knew something bad was going to happen - for such an experienced player, he is sadly lacking.

In the matches to come, Emmanuel Fernandez and Nasser Djiga have to be the central defensive partnership or come the end of the season, we will be left empty-handed.

The shape also changed, the 4-2-2-2 from Aberdeen was a 4-2-3-1 on Saturday, with Thelo Aasgaard and Ryan Naderi as the nine and 10.

Naderi was excellent for the 45 minutes he was on.

He occupied the three Dundee Utd centre-backs. His goal came from him following in an Aasgaard effort for a tap-in, a proper striker's goal. He looks the best bet of the three strikers if we are to go 4-2-3-1 in certain games.

Aasgaard in the 10 was very good. I haven't been impressed with him overall this season, but Saturday was more like it from him, with him involved in three of the four goals and scoring himself.

Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski also made an impact when coming on from the bench.

Miovski tied up the three points with a nice finish, and Chermiti missed two one-on-ones.

But it's pleasing that two of the three strikers found the net. The xG was our second-highest of the season, 3.89. Hopefully, the attacking output will continue in the last six games.

With Falkirk away before we enter the split, Danny Rohl has a few interesting choices to make as we look to beat them for the first time this season.

Fernandez has to come in for Souttar. What shape will he use? Which striker(s) will he select, and will Jayden Meghoma keep the left-back position?

So many options and selection issues for Danny Rohl to ponder, but as I keep mentioning, the three points are all I care about.

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Mikey Moore has confirmed he hopes to return to Tottenham Hotspur at the end of his loan to Rangers and win a place in the Premier League club's first team.

The 18-year-old winger is featured in a short documentary on the English club's YouTube channel.

"I just want to go back to Tottenham and hopefully get myself a place in the team," he said.

"Obviously we have got that experience of winning that trophy in the Europa League and that's what I want to do at Tottenham. I just want to bring them special moments to the fans really."

Moore recalled that, after breaking through into the Spurs first team, his progress was halted last season when he was sidelined for six weeks with the myocarditis virus that resulted in heart pain.

However, he has recovered his form in Glasgow and hopes to leave Ibrox a title winner having fallen in love with Rangers.

"For me, this is the best move I could have possibly had," he added.

"I want to play under pressure and under expectation. I don't like the idea of going somewhere and it just being another day. Any person you speak to who's played for Rangers, it's the same.

"Winning is just part of the culture and part of what these people are. It's mad to play under that expectation and it's perfect for a player like me. I want to play under that as a young player."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

GK: Raphael Sallinger (Hibernian)

Almost seems to get in by default at the moment because of another weekend lacking any outstanding goalkeeping performances. A couple of saves and a clean sheets means the Austrian gets the gloves again.

RB: Dujon Sterling (Rangers)

A solid performer at Ibrox and nabbed a goal in the vital 4-2 win over Dundee United.

CB: Luke Graham (Dundee)

A colossus at the back for the Dark Blues all afternoon. Unfortunate to be on the losing side.

CB: Alex Gogic (St Mirren)

Seldom a weekend goes by when this team of the week favourite doesn't find his way into the starting XI. His brilliant headed goal against Aberdeen and a clean sheet earns him another call-up.

LB: Jordan Obita (Hibernian)

Set up the goal for Felix Passlack after Owen Elding's pass unlocked the Kilmarnock defence. An effective presence down the Hibs left.

CM: Felix Passlack (Hibernian)

Another big goal for the former Borussia Dortmund man. The German has a knack for arriving in the box at just the right time.

CM: Stevie May (Livingston)

Once upon a time had the flowing locks and the killer touch of a goal machine number nine in his glorious St Johnstone era. These days he has refashioned himself into one of Livingston's most versatile players.

Age and injuries take their toll on all players but his precision finish and general clever play were fundamental for Livingston in their draw with Hearts.

FW: Owen Elding (Hibernian)

What a prospect he looks for Hibs. The 20-year-old who arrived from Sligo Rovers opened the scoring after 13 seconds against Kilmarnock and his pass to unlock the Killie defence for the Passlack goal was a measured thing of beauty.

FW: Lawrence Shankland (Hearts)

Powered in his headed goal and looked the part all afternoon against Livingston. Full of invention, poise and confidence. But, crucially, it's his killer instinct in the box that counts most.

With the national team struggling for goals, will he be Scotland's go-to man for the World Cup opener against Haiti?

FW: Claudio Braga (Hearts)

Player of the season? A joy to watch, every part of his game looks great right now. Never a doubt the goal would be scored when the chance came his way.

Could the partnership with Shankland be the key ingredient that gets the Hearts title tilt over the line? Earns extra points for me for his desire to stay on his feet in the box rather than look for a penalty.

FW: Calvin Miller (Falkirk)

A contender for the Scotland squad? The national team could do with a creative winger with pace and Calvin Miller has been providing that all season in the Premiership for Falkirk.

The stats add up as well, seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions.

Watch all the goals in Rangers clash against Dundee United.

We asked for your views on Rangers' 4-2 win against Dundee United, which saw them go top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Here's what some of you said:

Alex: Rangers made it hard work for themselves. The goals they lost were down to appalling, lazy defending which isn't good enough. Youssef Chermiti will never be a centre forward if he lives to be 100. Glad to have won but seriously need to stop giving away goals and take the chances created.

Elaine: Some supporters are never happy. If you had offered them this result before the game, they'd have bitten your hand off. Alright, it wasn't PSG's silky soccer but we are top of the league. Now the others hunt us. Well done Rangers and Danny Rohl.

Brian: It's all about winning but that first-half performance was simply not good enough for a team aspiring to go top of the league with Rangers being outplayed and outfought.

Andreas Skov Olsen in particular was so poor, looking for all the world as if he just didn't want to be on the park. The second half with the substitutions brought about more commitment and desire. Chermiti's failure to kill the game off could have proved fatal. The scoreline doesn't truly reflect Dundee Utd nearly getting a positive result, which in part they deserved.

Ronald: A good result but they don't do it the easy way. Give United their due, they made a good game of it and were unlucky not to equalise. Must improve in the next few games but will take 4-2 every time.

Steve: Not sure why Djeidi Gassama doesn't start. He has the talent and desire to drive the team forward and has shown that consistently of late. There is always going to be nerves in these sorts of games but we have a good selection of players now, so should be confident that we can overcome the opposition in our remaining games.

Peter: A spirited win, a comfortable win, a show of character win is what it was. Who thinks it was a 'nervy win'? Get your coat man. Here's what's happening, we are in it to win it, Danny boy. Pressure on the competition, come ahead!

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Rangers are keeping close tabs on Leeds United forward Joe Gelhardt, who has scored 13 goals and provided four assists in 33 appearances on loan at Hull City. (Alan Nixon / Patreon - subscription required), external

Wales winger Rabbi Matondo says he "wants to show the haters and the world that there is still a player in me" after moving from Rangers to Norwegian side Brann. (Glasgow Times), external

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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.

"Now we have to move on. At 2-0 and 3-1 you feel our quality - we were finding the spaces and being really brave. But then you bring your opponent back which was unnecessary. The 2-1 can happen, but the 3-2 we should never allow because we had a lot of situations before to score four or five.

"We took our three points and did our hard work. I don't focus on opponents - if we win six games, we win the league."

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.

How significant a win was that for Rangers? What did you make of the performance?

Have your say.

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PSV Eindhoven are monitoring Rangers and Portugal Under-21 forward Youssef Chermiti, 21. (ED - subscription required, in Dutch), external

Rangers are gearing up for an ambitious summer transfer window, with BK Hacken talent Silas Andersen and Kilmarnock midfielder David Watson on their list of targets, along with Dundee centre-half Luke Graham. (TeamTalk), external

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Rangers boss Danny Rohl refused to name one player who will miss the game due to a training injury.

Denmark winger Andreas Skov Olsen returns to the squad after recovering from an injury.

Dundee United are set to be without Johnny Russell (calf), Kristijan Trapanovski and Isaac Pappoe (both knee).

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Rangers midfielder Tochi Chukwuani is eyeing "more magical moments" after a "fantastic" start to life in Glasgow.

The 23-year-old Dane joined from Sturm Graz in January and has impressed supporters with his all-action performances, netting two goals in 11 games across all competitions.

Having clawed their way back into the title race, Rangers can go top of the league for the first time in two years with victory at home to Dundee United on Saturday before Hearts and Celtic play on Sunday.

And Chukwuani has been enjoying every minute since he touched down in Glasgow.

"It's been fantastic experiencing the fans, experiencing the stadium," he said.

"I think it's just like a dream to play here. You just want to create more magical moments, especially with the fan group that's here.

"This is something you look back at and you just think, wow, what a magical place.

"Yes, I know it [winning the league] would mean the world to people, especially when you walk around the city, and everyone is talking about the 56.

"You can just hear people screaming at you, walking down the road, you can feel the passion.

"And when you step on the pitch, you just want to give everything in your power back to the fans with great displays and a lot of wins."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Danny Rohl says Emmanuel Fernandez is a "role model" for Rangers' player development strategy after the defender's progress from Ibrox fringe player to Nigeria international.

The 24-year-old was plucked from England's third tier when he moved from Peterborough to Rangers last summer on a four-year deal.

He started just one Premiership game between August and November amid a difficult start to his Ibrox career, but has since flourished, becoming a regular under Rohl.

Fernandez, who has six goals in 27 Rangers appearances, made his Nigeria debut in a victory over Iran last week then scored in his first international start, the 2-2 draw with Jordan.

"Football is about development," Rangers head coach Rohl said of Fernandez.

"It's about belief. I think it was not easy for him when I arrived. He was, I will not say far away, but he was not in a position to be a starter. And then there was a little bit of an issue with timing when he got injuries and then he stepped up.

"In general now he puts in a great performance, week by week. There's still things to improve but when you look at it, you sign a player from League One and he goes on to the national team and he scores.

"It's important for us to win something, but besides the results it's also a great way to show players what you can do at Rangers, we want to develop players.

"It's not a secret that part of our business is to create value for the club. I think when you see now how we create the value for money, then he's a little bit of a role model.

"Now it's about playing consistently at this level, not dropping back. He's calm on the ball. He is getting better and better also against the ball.

"There's a reason why I put him in, I trust him. And we should not forget he's still a right-footed player on the left side and he's doing really well in that.

"I'm happy with his development and hope it continues because it's the most important thing in football. It's never about the past, it's always about tomorrow."