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Lawrence bursts through to give Rangers only goal early on
Rangers now up to third, one place above promoted Utd
First meeting of sides since April 2023
Image source, SNSThat'll do us for today. Thank you all for joining.
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FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Rangers manager Philippe Clement tells BBC Scotland: "It's a big result because it's a hard place to come to. The players did a really good job.
"It's massive to start the game really well, the only thing we missed was scoring the second goal to kill off the game, then you're more comfortable.
"We didn't give away chances, that's another good thing. We defended well, the set pieces we were on top of them and won the duels."
On match-winner Tom Lawrence, Clement adds: "Tom is getting fitter and fitter, it's important he can continue in this way. We're very pleased about the goal but also his play without ball."
FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
You can watch the best of today's action, plus Saturday's goals, on Sportscene a bit later.
The BBC Scotland channel is where you need to be at 19:15 BST.
If you miss it, you can catch up on the iPlayer.
FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
The League Cup quarter-finals.
United travel to Fir Park on Friday night before Rangers host Dundee back at Ibrox on Saturday evening.
FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Were you impressed with Hamza Igamane's cameo, Gers fans?
In 25 minutes on the pitch, he managed 15 touches in a busy display.
He replaced Cyriel Dessers, who registered 20 touches in 65 minutes.
FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Image source, SNSDundee United boss Jim Goodwin tells BBC Scotland: "I think we’re frustrated the unbeaten run has came to an end. I don’t have too many arguments about the end result – Rangers created two or three goalscoring opportunities whereas we didn’t create anything.
"I think in terms of the second half we were a lot better and penned Rangers back for large periods of that, but for all the possession we had we just didn’t create anything of real worth.
"Against the better teams opportunities are limited and when they come you’ve got to be ruthless and get the ball in the back of the net. The real frustration comes from how we started the game – the shape wasn’t working and that comes from me.
"We had to change it and we went to a 4-3-3 and from the moment we changed it you could see an instant change. There was more aggression to our press, we forced Rangers into longer balls and turnovers. You could see the reaction from our fans, they stayed back to applaud the players after the effort they put into the game.
"There was no need for me to change the system prior to the game but we’ve got that flexibility. Kev [Holt] has been outstanding in there and he’s been a pivotal part of the unbeaten run we’ve been on, but I felt we were a bit light in the middle of the park and the goal comes from that, so we decided to bring in [Ross] Docherty to sit on [Tom] Lawrence and give us more solidity in the middle.
"We did believe we could take something from the game – it hasn’t panned out that way but it would be far worse if we were a soft touch. I don’t think anyone could say we were that, but we’ll dust ourselves down and we’ve got a fantastic game to look forward to on Friday night."
FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Today's winner was Tom Lawrence's second goal of the season.
He's now scored eight and provided six assists from midfield in 48 Rangers games.
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSFT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Steven Thompson
Former Dundee United and Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound
From a Rangers point of view, a difficult away game after a difficult period for them.
But that level of performance is going to have to improve because against a team with a more lethal front player they might have ended up with a draw.
United couldn’t find enough quality to break them down, but I wasn’t overly impressed with Rangers’ performance.
FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
So this is how the table looks at the end of week five.
Rangers remain five points behind both Celtic and Aberdeen, who maintained their winning starts yesterday.
United drop to fourth.
FT: Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Sky Sports
Rangers match-winner Tom Lawrence tells Sky Sports: "Big result, it's been a long international break. We dug in when we needed to. I should have killed off the game with the chances I had.
On his winning goal, he adds: "A little ricochet, saw the keeper coming out and a little dink. It was nice to get a goal."
FT: Dundee United 0-1 Rangers
Billy Dodds
Former Rangers striker on BBC Sportsound
It wasn’t pretty but it was hell of important that Rangers got the three points. They probably deserved it as United never asked enough questions.
They’re vulnerable but they got the job done and that’s the important thing. Rangers created more chances, but they couldn’t get a second goal.
Tom Lawrence attempted five shots in this game, the highest total for a Rangers player in the Premiership this season.
Probably should have scored with three of them.
Dundee United failed to attempt a shot on target in this game, it's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since...
Facing Rangers on 8 May 2022.
Funny.
Not vintage from Rangers, but a win was the most important thing today after that Old Firm defeat.
United's unbeaten run is over.
Image source, SNSTom Lawrence's dinked finish in the first half was the difference
Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Nedim Bajrami, welcome to the club.
Don't even know what that was for.
Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Thirty seconds left.
This is it for United, who have a throw just inside their own half.
Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Another one.
Nico Raskin delays the restart.
Yella.
Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
A dodgy clearance from John Souttar loops up high...
It's going back towards his own goal but Jack Butland claims just about on the line under pressure.
Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Three minutes added.
Dundee Utd 0-1 Rangers
Eighty-eight on the clock.
United don't look that dangerous, but it still feels like there's a chance in this.
Tom Lawrence scored his second goal in three games
Unconvincing Rangers ended Dundee United's eight-game unbeaten run to leapfrog their hosts into third place in the Scottish Premiership and move back to within five points of leading duo Celtic and Aberdeen.
Tom Lawrence's early goal was enough for the visitors to navigate what was viewed by many as a must-win game for their title hopes, even this early in the season, after their 3-0 Old Firm derby loss last time out.
The Wales midfielder pounced on Cyriel Dessers' flick and showed some nice footwork before cutely chipping over advancing goalkeeper Jack Walton after only seven minutes.
It was the first time United had found themselves behind since their return to the top flight and, as they struggled to respond, manager Jim Goodwin replaced Kevin Holt with Ross Docherty in central midfield before the break.
After a change of shape, with Vicko Sevelj on for yellow carded Emmanuel Adegboyega at half-time, United crept more into the game.
Ever-impressive winger Kristijan Trapanovski sent a couple of drives wide as Rangers were forced ever deeper into their own half.
Dessers had been denied by Walton at the front post shortly before the break, while Lawrence curled a drive just over the crossbar and was thwarted by a big hand from the goalkeeper.
Otherwise, though, Rangers were rarely in full control and were happy just to see the game out to collect a much-needed three points.
Having lost all 11 of his previous meetings with Rangers as a manager, it was perhaps no surprise Goodwin had the modest aim of finishing the day still ahead of Rangers given he viewed this as his side's "toughest test" so far.
On the back of three consecutive wins, Goodwin named the same XI for a fourth game in a row as United sought to extend their unbeaten home run to 11 games - six of those coming this season.
He was "not getting carried away" with that start, though, and his caution seemed justified as Rangers dominated early proceedings.
However, bringing on Docherty before the break and Sevelj at half-time changed the flow of the game as a disjointed Rangers struggled to attack up the notorious Tannadice slope.
United, though, were unable to force Jack Butland into a serious save and will surely see this as an opportunity missed to take advantage of the first time they have gone into a game ahead of Rangers in the league since 1993.
The mood around Rangers was not helped before kick-off with Saturday's news that chairman John Bennett, who has invested heavily in the club in recent years, had stood down for health reasons.
The Ibrox club were already seeking a new chief executive and a new academy director, while they have just returned to Ibrox after having to spend money hiring Hampden because of delayed renovation work.
Despite it all, manager Philippe Clement insisted in last week's question and answer session with supporters that he believes his side can still win the title and this was always going to be a severe test of those credentials.
Illness denied him of the services of Czech Republic international Vaclav Cerny and, with Rabbi Matondo injured, Kieran Dowell was forced into an unfamiliar wide role.
Rangers could not have asked for a better start as their early intensity forced a goal.
It is kind of game you would expect City rivals Celtic to dominate thereafter, but this Rangers side failed to build on that and never looked like one a class above their less expensively-assembled hosts.
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We’re frustrated the unbeaten run has come to an end. I don’t have too many arguments about the end result – Rangers created two or three goalscoring opportunities, whereas we didn’t create anything.
"In the second half, we were a lot better and penned Rangers back for large periods, but for all the possession we had, we just didn’t create anything of real worth."
Rangers manager Philippe Clement: "It's a big result because it's a hard place to come to. The players did a really good job.
"It's massive to start the game really well. The only thing we missed was scoring the second goal to kill off the game - then you're more comfortable. We didn't give away chances - that's another good thing."
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 15 |
| |
| 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 15 |
| |
| 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| |
| 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| |
| 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| |
| 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 6 |
| |
| 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | -2 | 5 |
| |
| 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 5 |
| |
| 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 5 |
| |
| 10 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 3 |
| |
| 11 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | -9 | 2 |
| |
| 12 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 9 | -7 | 1 |
|
Manager: Jim Goodwin
Formation: 3 - 4 - 2 - 1
Manager: Philippe Clement
Formation: 4 - 3 - 3
Premiership
All competitions
All competitions
All competitions
Dundee United have won three of their last six meetings at home with Rangers in all competitions (D1 L2), after winning only one of their previous nine against the Gers at Tannadice (D3 L5).
Rangers have won each of their last four Scottish Premiership games against Dundee United, last winning five league games in a row versus the Tangerines between September 2001 and December 2003 (8 in a row).
Dundee United have won both of their last two league games; the last newly promoted club to win three in a row in the Scottish Premiership were Hearts in January 2022.
Rangers have only won one of their last seven away league games (D3 L3). This is their fewest wins over a run of seven away league outings under a single manager (Philippe Clement) since September 2016 under Mark Warburton (also 1 in 7).
The average expected goals of Rangers non-penalty shots in the Scottish Premiership this season is 0.148, the highest of any side, while Dundee United’s average of 0.124 xG/non-pen shot is third-highest.
