- Rangers can go top of the Scottish Premiership with victory
- The Gers are winless against the Tangerines this season
- Lessons can be learned from previous stint as league leaders
The result against Dundee United at Ibrox this Saturday will be seismic and could define the direction of Rangers’ season.
Win and Rangers will end a two-year wait to be lead the Scottish Premiership, however temporarily and demonstrate they have the mettle for the title race.
Draw or lose and they will fall further behind while proving right any lingering doubts the players are incapable of handling the pressure.
Rangers must exploit home advantage and goal difference
The Gers enter this crucial match 14 matches unbeaten at home with the last defeat occurring in September against Hearts during Russell Martin’s disastrous reign.
Danny Rohl has rebuilt Ibrox into the fortress it always should be and Rangers must utilise their home advantage to grasp this opportunity with both hands.
Under the German’s leadership, Rangers have not lost on home soil in the league with only two draws, against Falkirk and Celtic.
The Gers are also two goals better off (+30) than Hearts (+28) which means even if Derek McInnes’ men defeat Livingston, victory for Rangers and they will remain leaders if they better Hearts’ result.
There should not be any question that by full-time, Rangers have not achieved the three points and returned to the league summit for the first time in two years.
Dundee United draws highlights recurring issue
However, Rangers are yet to secure victory against Dundee United this season with both meetings ending in 2-2 draws.
Victory over the Tangerines would end that record but another share of the spoils would bring the Gers’ number of draws to 13.
It is the number of draws across the season that threatens to derail Rangers title charge and the recent home draw against Celtic is their fourth draw in eight league matches.
The frustrating fact is that Rangers would be league leaders if even a handful of those draws were converted into wins.
And if Saturday’s result is a fifth draw in nine games and leads to Rangers dropping to third and falling nine points behind, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Previous tenure as league leaders cannot be reciprocated
March 2024 was the last time that Rangers were Scottish Premiership league leaders.
If Rangers are victorious this weekend, they will need to learn from mistakes made in the weeks that followed.
At that stage under Philippe Clement, the Gers went on to win just three of their last eight to finish the season eight points behind winners Celtic.
Therefore, if Rangers win, the lesson of two years ago should be that complacency cannot seep in.
ReadRangers Analysis
The stage is set for the match that could make or break Rangers season.
Rangers cannot afford to lose at this stage and replicate the collapse of two years ago.
Rohl’s men have the chance to consign that to history, starting on Saturday.
