Rangers secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over St Johnstone to end their escape from the Scottish Premiership.
Amid ongoing speculation over Philippe Clement’s future, the Light Blues travel to Perth after a 4-1 Europa League win at Nice on Thursday night that took them closer to the knockout stages.
However, Rangers bounced back in one of the tightest fixtures in the league’s history, their winner coming in the 63rd minute of the second half through a goal from former Gers midfielder Jason Holt to claim their first league win since former Gers midfielder Jason Holt he scored. September.
Clement’s side remain in third place, 11 points behind leaders Celtic with title hopes still in tatters and Gers fans baffled by this season’s Jekyll and Hyde form.
The Belgian boss is still looking for consistency in performance and consistency in selection. Brazilian striker Danilo, not part of Gers’ European squad, was also available which meant Clement had three options in the lone striker role.
Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane, who scored twice against Nice, lost out to Danilo and regular striker Cyriel Dessers.
Romanian midfielder Ianis Hagi, who has never been a member of a European team, started again for Rangers from May 2023, when captain James Tavernier came in to replace the injured Dujon Sterling.
The Saints were unchanged from the team that started in the 1-0 win over Kilmarnock last week and mostly had the visitors in the first half.
In the 15th minute Gers winger Vaclav Cerny completed a brilliant move when he cut in from the right and drilled into the edge of the box.
Less than 10 minutes later, with the Ibrox side on the up, Saints keeper Josh Rae dived to his left to push a low drive from Igamane on target, after the Gers striker had been set up by Connor Barron.
Ianis Hagi scored for St Johnstone
Gers striker Nedim Bajrami failed to make a good connection from Tavernier’s cut-back before his drive from a corner was saved by Rae at his near post.
Bajrami and defender Robin Propper made way for Ridvan Yilmaz and Leon Balogun early in the second half as the home side’s midfielder Aaron Essel replaced Graham Carey.
Rae had little to do in the second half before the 55th minute, when he made a good save from Tavernier’s 25-yard free-kick.
Danilo replaced Jefte on the left as Clement changed his side again and were soon in front.
Saints were trapped in their own box, as Hagi’s cross from the left bounced off Rae’s head and the unlucky Holt could only turn the ball into his own net on the goal line under pressure from Tavernier, who would have scored.
Rae made saves from Danilo and Hagi as Rangers dominated possession and the Saints kept Danilo twice as the visitors dominated the final stages.
‘Rangers is a tough watch’
Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd:
“Philippe Clement will be happy to get the three points but if he is happy with the way he played then that’s fine.
“Rangers are a tough watch at the moment but you can’t moan all the time. They have three points, that’s the most important thing.”
Sky Sports’ Chris Sutton:
“It’s almost three points today, coming back from the best win of the week. Rangers are not very good in the final third but in terms of the result, it’s the best 1-0 you’ll see.”
Clement: We have to score a lot to be adulterers
Supervisors supervisor Philippe Clement he said Sky Sports:
“Decent victory, controlling the whole game. We only have one shot on target. But you have to score a lot of goals to be adulterous, to be what we want to be for our fans, to have a lot of fun there. way, and to kill the faith of the opposition.
“This is still a work in progress but I see a lot of positive things with this team. The players are growing, they are getting better, they are doing the right things.
“It’s important after the European tour, a big win, to take direct action at home and get the right points. And that was the case today.”
Valakari: We gave our hearts and lives
St Johnstone sir Simo Valakari he said Sky Sports:
“What we talk about before the game, stay in the game, give yourself a chance to compete.”
“But in the end, the last push, we’re not there yet, but everything my players put their heart and soul into. They did a lot of good.
“We could ask more questions about their back line. We didn’t do that. But at the same time, Rangers, their press was very high. We didn’t have time to break, to get out of it.”
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