Rangers extend lead to 16 points after return to Motherwell

The Rangers rallied against Motherwell to secure a victory that extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 16 points.

The Rangers struggled to knock down the visitors after they took the lead through Callum Lang in the sixth minute.

But his return consigned Motherwell to a fourth loss in a row.

Stephen Robinson’s team remains fifth, 10 points behind Aberdeen, despite a six-game winless streak and he will see that this is a missed opportunity.

The Rangers benefit from Hibernian’s draw with Dundee United and Celtic’s participation in Sunday’s Scottish Cup final to take command at the top.

Steven Gerrard’s team hadn’t lost all season until their shocking loss in the League Cup quarter-finals midweek at St Mirren and for much of this game it looked like the Rangers’ losses they were about to arrive like buses.

Buses was the correct description of the way Motherwell’s defense was stationed around their own box as they repelled and frustrated the increasingly desperate home team after Lang’s early attack.

It seemed the Rangers were determined to erase the memory of that midweek disappointment when forward Jermain Defoe put goalkeeper Jordan Archer to the test shortly after kickoff.

Yet as Dundee United had shown despite last week’s loss, Ibrox’s team is still struggling to bring down a team determined to pack their defense. As St Mirren demonstrated in the middle of the week, they have suddenly shown a brittle back.

Motherwell scored on his first attack when Declan Gallagher held the ball on the edge of the Rangers penalty area and fed his Scottish colleague Stephen O’Donnell, whose cross-center found Lang unmarked at the back post for his fifth goal from the season.

Ryan Kent headed wildly before the break and Steven Davis had a goal disallowed for offside, as the Rangers seemed to run out of time and ideas to take down opponents that gave them some nervous moments at halftime.

However, Kent made up for his mistake by getting the ball into Roofe’s path to score from close range and signal a late Rangers rescue act.

Itten headed for the back post after one corner eluded everyone else in a packed six-yard box before Roofe delivered another shot from close range as the ball rocked into the packed box.

Man of the Match – Kemar Roofe

What did we learn?

While the Rangers end the day with their lead improved, the way they worked to subdue a struggling Motherwell will add to the questions raised by their exit from the League Cup.

However, Gerrard will point to their determination to come from behind as proof that they can avoid the collapse in the way they have suffered in recent seasons once the pressure builds in the second half of the season.

Motherwell will be encouraged by the way they were able to limit the league leaders to so few clear opportunities until that late collapse, and their ability to worry the Rangers at halftime.

However, there will be concerns about that losing streak of results, which would cause them to struggle at the table had they not been awarded two wins due to their opponents’ Covid-19 rule violations.

Whats Next?

The Rangers continue their title hunt in Perth on Wednesday, when they face St Johnstone in form (18:00 GMT), while Motherwell hosts Aberdeen fourth best (18:15).