Rangers 5-0 Ross County: Steven Gerrard has 'loved ride so far' after 150th game in charge

Steven Gerrard said "I've loved the ride so far" after Premiership leaders Rangers marked his 150th game in charge with a thumping win over Ross County.

It extends his side's lead over reigning champions Celtic to 23 points.

Ryan Kent, Filip Helander and Joe Aribo had them 3-0 up by half-time, with Ryan Jack and Connor Goldson also scoring.

"To be 150 games in, I'm delighted, but it's not about me, it's about this team and getting the group successful as soon as possible," boss Gerrard said.

"That's the challenge. That's what I'll be judged on. It's been a hell of a journey. It's been intense and challenging, but I'm loving it."

Third-bottom County struck woodwork twice after the break, but Rangers could even afford a missed penalty from James Tavernier as they remain unbeaten in the league this season.

• Reaction & as it happened

John Hughes' side had arrived buoyed by last week's 4-1 thumping of Aberdeen, but they never looked in danger of spoiling the occasion for Gerrard as he became the fastest-ever Rangers manager to reach his 150th game in charge - his 926 days beating Dick Advocaat by 24 hours.

By bravely handing 17-year-old Leo Hjelde - signed on loan from Celtic 24 hours earlier - his debut and dropping winger Regan Charles-Cooke and forward Jermaine Hylton, Hughes had signalled his intent to keep it tight.

County's high press did manage to trouble Rangers - but only for the six minutes it took for the hosts to score with their first foray into the Highlanders' box.

Hjelde was too late on the scene as Kent looped in a headed finish after being found unmarked by Alfredo Morelos' knock across the face of goal.

Top scorer Tavernier blotted his copybook by having a weak spot kick saved by Ross Laidlaw, although justice was probably done as Morelos looked to be fouled outside the area.

Rangers remained relentless and Kent fired a low effort against a post before Helander shrugged off his marker to rise in space and head home a Borna Barisic corner.

The defending was similarly poor as Aribo sidestepped Charlie Lakin and Iain Vigurs before a sublime curling finish.

County started the second half with plenty of purpose and midfielder Harry Paton sent a low drive off the inside of a post and centre-half Alex Iacovitti should have done better than loop a header off the bar when found unmarked at a free-kick.

Gerrard responded with a clutch of substitutions and one of the replacements, Jack, fired low past Laidlaw on the midfielder's return from injury before Goldson rounded off the scoring with a stooping header from a corner.

It was perhaps a fitting flourish considering the centre-half has featured in 142 of Gerrard's games in charge.

Man of the match - Ryan Kent

It was an all-round team performance from Rangers, but Kent did more than most with a goal and another strike against a post

What did we learn?

If Celtic were hoping that last weekend's draw with Motherwell, which ended a run of six straight wins, would knock Rangers out of their stride, they were sadly disappointed.

Neil Lennon will have found little grounds for renewed optimism about securing a 10th consecutive title from an efficient performance with few signs of the post-New Year stumbles suffered by Gerrard's side in the last two seasons.

County came into the game after a mini-revival, having only lost once in four games, but former Celtic centre-half Hughes will consider this dismantling of his experimental defence in isolation.

Especially so considering Dingwall men have never beaten Rangers in 15 meetings and have now lost nine games in succession against the Glasgow side while failing to score in their last six.

What they said

Rangers manger Steven Gerrard told Rangers TV: "I thought it was a really strong performance, another home win and a clean sheet - obviously five different scorers.

"We flipped the formation a bit to a 4-3-2-1 to be a bit more bold and aggressive and really take the game to Ross County and I thought we looked really dangerous throughout."

Ross County manager John Hughes told Sky Sports: "We were set up to be hard to beat and, if you do that and give away two poor goals early on, you are up against it.

"However, our season will not be defined by games against Rangers - credit to them for the way they play football and pass - but we showed plenty of spirit and will learn from this."

What's next?

Rangers next travel to Edinburgh to face fourth-top Hibernian for what Gerrard described as "a huge game" on Wednesday (19:45 GMT), when County also host the side one place below them - Motherwell (18:00).