Rangers 2-0 Kilmarnock: 'Sharper' Kemar Roofe delights Steven Gerrard
- Published
Kemar Roofe and Ryan Kent are on target for Rangers in victory over Kilmarnock.
Steven Gerrard says Kemar Roofe "is starting to look a lot sharper" after the forward broke his Rangers duck in the win against Kilmarnock.
Roofe and Ryan Kent were on target as Gerrard's side moved three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Rangers have won four and drawn one of their opening five games without losing a goal.
"With another two or three games he will be really ready to go," Gerrard said of Roofe.
"The pleasing thing for me is not just Kemar's goal, it is the cleverness and the linking of play. He has a good all-round game and he is starting to look a lot sharper."
Unlike Rangers' 0-0 draw with Livingston last week, the Ibrox side were able to turn their dominance into goals but they were made to wait.
Brandon Barker and Kent drew saves from Danny Rogers before Kent, the subject of a failed £10m Leeds United bid this week, was also foiled by a crucial intervention by Aaron McGowan.
With Alfredo Morelos left out of Rangers' squad, Roofe and fellow summer signing Cedric Itten were given their first starts and Roofe headed a Borna Barisic cross off Rogers' left-hand post early in the second half.
But the same combination bore fruit moments later when left-back Barisic's low delivery was side-footed in by the former Anderlecht attacker.
James Tavernier set up Kent to place a second to Rogers' left after the Rangers captain had seen his initial shot blocked.
Kilmarnock, still without a win this season, offered little in attack and did not give keeper Jon McLaughlin much to do.
Man of the match - Ryan Kent
Kent was lively throughout and if Leeds are to renew their interest, Rangers would be loathe to lose their most in-form player
What did we learn?
When both Roofe and Itten were named in the starting line-up, it looked like Gerrard was fielding a front two but Itten initially played wide on the right with Roofe through the middle.
Neither really affected the game until Itten moved inside in the second half and the opening goal soon followed.
Barker was busy in a rare Rangers start and the home side were more than willing to shoot from long range when Kilmarnock had closed down space around the area.
Killie did that well for long spells but going forward they were unable to give much service to either Eamonn Brophy or his replacement Nicke Kabamba.
What did they say?
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard: "I'm very pleased with the clean sheet and the players deserve a lot of credit for the record.
"We are doing the dirty stuff behind the ball really well. The players have applied themselves ever so well and they are getting their rewards for it."
Kilmarnock manager Alex Dyer: "We have come up against a side who are playing well at the moment and are top of the league.
"Obviously we would like more points on the board. But the performances have been decent and we need to turn them into results."
What's next?
Rangers are away to Hamilton Academical next Saturday evening and Kilmarnock host Dundee United earlier that day.