That's the Premiership action over for this weekend then, with a new league leader after matchday 26.

Hard luck for St Johnstone, but Rangers ran away with it in the end. Job done, up the road.

If you haven't had your football fix, I'd heartily encourage you to catch some of the SWPL action - there's an Old Firm to look forward to there. There is a live feed here.

Until next time. Goodbye!

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement tells BBC Sportsound: "Another three important points. I'm proud of the team beacuse they had to adapt to circumstances. We could not play our normal football on this pitch, we had to adapt and dominated.

"We didn't concede a shot on target and could have scored more than three. You saw a really strong collective and that for me is the most important thing. Players started well, players came in and did a job, players adapted to different positions - like Dujon Sterling.

"It is all to do with hunger, desire and ambition. Everybody feels really good in this dressing room.

"It was an important goal, and one reason we wanted to sign him. All credit to the recruitment [team] for that. He's a really talented player with a good mentality and that's the profile we're looking for as a club.

"Everybody is hungry to play minutes, and they're working hard for that every day. It's about solidarity, patience, and trust in me that they will get minutes if they perform. I cannot say anything bad about one player in this squad at the moment. I have difficult choices but I'm happy to have them.

"I'm going to be tough on them to keep the [collective nature] until the end of the season and the seasons to come. If players want to play for themselves, they will not be on the pitch.

"The players are not busy with that because they know it's a long way to go. They need to keep their focus. They feel really good, it's what we started four months ago. They understand that this season is a marathon."

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St Johnstone manager Craig Levein tells BBC Sportsound: "We competed well for the 90 minutes. Things changed with 20 minutes to go because we had to try and get something. Most of Rangers' chances came in that period.

"In the first half, we restricted them to one or two shots at goal - one of them being the goal. Frustration is probably the right word. We worked really hard to frustrate them. They didn't carve us open, the goal itself came from outside the box.

"I felt comfortable in the game but at some point, we had to go forward and try and get back in it. Another two VAR goals, they must be the top scorer in the league. Second one I don't think is a penalty. We've had six against us in the last few weeks.

"The first one was a reasonable decision. The second one wasn't. That's on the back of five or six others that I consider to have gone against us. It gets really frustrating.

"It wasn't a great performance, but when I look at our effort and willingness to play our system, it worked really well. Once we changed system, we became more open and more susceptible to Rangers attacks, but I was pleased with the first hour of the match and things were going to plan-ish.

"I talked to the players after the game, and acknowledged the way they worked was down to them. That was pleasing, their effort was pleasing. They tried everything in their power to keep Rangers out.

"We will park it. It's a game we weren't expected to win. We did a lot of good things. I better not say anymore."

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Callum Davidson
Former St Johnstone manager on BBC Sportsound

It was one of those games where the Rangers manager might have been nervous, thinking we need that second goal, when can we get it? It was a hard-fought win for Rangers.

St Johnstone tried to come out but Rangers came into good areas but all the chances came late on.

The second goal was so important, and after that there was only one winner.

St Johnstone lacked any quality going forward. Of the half-time changes, Rangers were far more effective.

Lee McCulloch
Former Rangers captain on BBC Sportsound

The last 20 minutes of the game, St Johnstone had to do something. They came out, the game really opened up and Rangers were more dominant.

Butland didn't have a save in anger to make. Rangers thoroughly deserved the three points.

If St Johnstone can offer something in the final third, they won't have a problem this season.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at McDiarmid Park

The turnaround in Rangers' fortunes under Philippe Clement is quite staggering. They seem a completely different proposition from top to bottom under the Belgian.

Whoever comes in seems to do a job and, if not quite at the required level, someone else comes on to do just that. They seem to have so many options with Dujon Sterling being an example today, earning the first spot kick which was crucial.

St Johnstone gave them a game for the most part but they were eventually broken down as Rangers' relentless record of wins ticks on.

Celtic now face a serious challenge. There's no question about that.

That's that at McDiarmid Park, and Rangers are back on top of the Scottish Premiership.

Despite the scoreline, St Johnstone did not make this easy for the league leaders.

Mohamed Diomande's moment of magic gave Rangers the lead at half-time. St Johnstone opened up in a desperate attempt to get back into the game, and that allowed Rangers to pick them off.

Two Tavernier penalties added a flourish to the scoreline, and allowed Rangers to really celebrate going back on top.

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Cyriel Dessers is in behind again, with Graham Carey desperately pulling at him to haul him back.

Dessers' elbow catches Carey in the chin as he tries to shrug him off. More importantly, Dessers squanders another opportunity. He could have had a hat-trick today.

James Tavernier has been absolutely cleaned out by Luke Robinson there.

It's not a foul, but Robinson's knee struck the slipping Tavernier and the Rangers skipper is holding his head. Not great to see, he looks a little groggy.

Eight minutes of added time here, and it looks more likely that Rangers will get a fourth.

3-0 seems very harsh on St Johnstone, but Rangers have really moved through the gears in this second half.

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland at McDiarmid Park

Rangers are there. Top of the table and it's a position few could have imagined just a few months ago.

They've had to work for this but it'd be hard to argue they don't deserve all three points. A moment of quality from Mohamed diomande broke the deadlock and from there sheer will has delivered this win.

The away support is absolutely loving this. All the momentum is with their side.

He goes the other way, into the top left corner!

It is an absolutely unstoppable penalty. Rangers are cruising.

The VAR has called Matthew MacDermid over again. That ball struck the arm of Luke Robinson, who had turned his back but stretched his arms out.

MacDermid points to the spot again. It'll be that man, James Tavernier.

Rangers are absolutely desperate for a third.

James Tavernier curls a free-kick to an unmarked Connor Goldson and he misses the ball. It comes to Cyriel Dessers, and his looped header hits the bar!

It comes to Tom Lawrence, whose strike looks to hit a St Johnstone arm. Big appeal, play goes on.

Cyriel Dessers, dear me.

St Johnstone gave the ball away and Dessers burnt past the defenders to go one-on-one. He rounds Mitov, but then Liam Gordon gets back and nudges Dessers off the ball!

The striker really, really should have scored.

'We shall not be moved' sing the Rangers fans. They then applaud Borna Barisic off, who is replaced by Ridvan Yilmaz.

Adama Sidibeh is off for the hosts, with Nicky Clark on. We thought he might be on a little sooner.

Up steps the skipper, against Dimitar Mitov. He scores!

The keeper went the right way but Tavernier's penalty was too accurate and too powerful.

There's the big swiiiing celebration, as the title race takes a big swing towards Rangers.