Rangers: Is poor run a temporary dip or a lasting trend?

Steven Gerrard's Rangers side finished 2019 feeling on top of the world.

Victory away to Celtic put them within two points of the Scottish Premiership summit with a game in hand. They had the title destiny in their own hands.

But since the winter break, Rangers have suffered a slump in form.

Gerrard said his team "blinked" in last weekend's 2-1 defeat by Hearts. Then they stumbled again in a 0-0 draw with Aberdeen at Ibrox to further hand the title initiative to Celtic.

Ahead of a huge month for Rangers, BBC Scotland asks if this is a temporary blip or is the season about to derail?

A week to forget

The year began with a routine win over Scottish League One's bottom club Stranraer in the Scottish Cup.

In three games since, the Ibrox side has scored just four goals in four games. A drop in form for a team that had averaged 3.5 league goals per game during the previous three months.

Uninspiring wins over St Mirren and Ross County straddled defeat at Tynecastle. On Saturday, Rangers drew 0-0 with Aberdeen, the second draw this season against the Dons - a team they had previously demolished 5-0 in late September.

The dropped points have damaged their title bid; they still have one game in hand on leaders Celtic, but now lie seven points adrift. Much of the good work in December - five wins from six - has been undone, although Rangers can still secure the title if they win all of their remaining league games since there are two Old Firm fixtures remaining.

What's gone wrong?

Rangers' talisman Alfredo Morelos is on 28 goals for the season, 12 of those in the league. There is far more to his game than just goals though - his hold-up play, his pace and his movement causes defenders to panic and makes space for team-mates to attack. Without him, Rangers are a poorer side.

The Colombian international has missed three league games this season. While in December Rangers had little problem despatching Hibs at Easter Road without him, on their return to Edinburgh to face Hearts they missed the spark in the final third that manager Gerrard admits his side have lacked this year.

Jermain Defoe has conjured up four goals in his past six games, but is now expected to be out for up to six weeks. Florian Kamberi has joined on loan from Hibs and made a late appearance against Aberdeen - the team he last scored against back on 7 December.

But it is not just the strikers. Against Aberdeen there were few goalmouth opportunities as Rangers initially struggled to get a foothold in the game. And when they did have the majority of possession they were restricted to shots from outside the box as a bank of red shirts defended on the edge of the penalty area.

Ryan Kent has scored six goals, but has yet to provide a league assist. Glen Kamara has no league goals or assists, Sheyi Ojo has also suffered a noticeable drop in from since early December.

Ryan Jack's absence is also being felt. Rangers have dropped points in two of the five games the midfielder has missed. Perhaps most glaring has been the loss of captain James Tavernier, who provides attacking width on the right from his full-back position and so balance to the team with Borna Barisic providing the same width on the left.

Between them, the two full-backs have provided 26 assists between them this season, as well as five goals. Tavernier's absence has proved costly, with Gerrard turning to youth player Nathan Patterson, Jon Flanagan and Matt Polster to fill the gap.

Rangers dropped two vital points at home to Aberdeen on Saturday

Echoes of last season?

Last season, Rangers went into the winter break with an Ibrox win over Celtic, drawing level on points with their Old Firm rivals.

But they returned from Tenerife with a 2-1 defeat by Kilmarnock and, although they won their next three games, they would drop points in four of their next six fixtures.

This year they were Celtic's neighbours in Dubai during the winter break. But while Celtic have returned with five wins in the league and Scottish Cup, scoring 15 goals in the process, Rangers have won three of five games, drawing once and losing the other, scoring six goals in the process.

But Rangers aren't the only ones suffering winter blues. Aberdeen were also in Dubai, and have yet to score from open play on their return. Motherwell have just one goal in their three league games since flying back from Tenerife. Hibs' Spanish trip has been followed by just one league win.

Wednesday takes Celtic to Motherwell while Rangers host Hibernian before the league takes a hiatus for the Scottish Cup. If Rangers are to find their spark again, they need to do so quickly as the games pile up.