Rangers can knock Hearts off perch as Aberdeen plunged into relegation trouble

It is not a scenario many envisioned at the start of the season when Rangers began so wretchedly under Russell Martin. But with Danny Rohl as head coach, they have stealthily climbed the table. We are now talking about a title charge.

With Rangers facing the Dons in the Saturday evening kick-off, they were dealt a pre-match blow when Hearts squeezed past Dundee 1-0 at Tynecastle. With Celtic not playing Dundee United until Sunday lunchtime, a response was required to (a) keep the gap with Hearts down to three points and (b) provisionally move above their Old Firm adversaries.

Once motoring, Rangers were far too strong for a sub-standard Aberdeen team. Tochi Chukwuani, Mikey Moore, Nicolas Raskin and James Tavernier found the net, leaving Ibrox purring by full time.

The Premiership takes a two-week break after events at Tannadice on Sunday and when it resumes, Rangers play a day earlier than Hearts and Celtic when they host Dundee United. With a superior goal difference of one over the Jam Tarts, a Rangers win will put them top for at least a day.

Rangers have been playing catch-up all season and while one suspects they'll need to find another level to land the title, belief is starting to increase.

Aberdeen have a whole different challenge on their hands. As Rangers have crept up the table, the Dons have slipped down it. This was manager Stephen Robinson's second match in charge and they were wretched in the first half. Usually Aberdeen teams at least show fight when they face Rangers - but even that was lacking.

Performance and effort levels improved after the break, but with Kilmarnock and St Mirren both winning earlier in the day, ninth-placed Aberdeen are now just three points above the relegation play-off position. Their next assignment: a trip to Paisley to face Robinson's former team. This could be an uncomfortable end to the campaign for them.

How Rangers v Aberdeen unfolded

Rangers' start was purposeful and while they took a hold of the game without much resistance from Aberdeen, the quality in the final third was lacking.

Youssef Chermiti had the first two sights of goal. On ten minutes, he powered a header over from a corner. Nine minutes later, he fired the ball into the side-netting after a lovely first touch set him clear of the Aberdeen defence.

Ibrox was just starting to get antsy when Rangers broke the deadlock on 35 minutes. Most of Rangers' best work had come down their left flank as young Aberdeen full-back Dylan Lobban was picked upon so it was no surprise to see Tuur Rommens get in behind and square to Moore. While his effort was blocked, the rebound bobbled to Chukwuani on the edge of the penalty box and he steered the ball home.

Rangers sought a second goal before the break. Tavernier lashed a shot a couple of inches over the bar and saw an effort well saved by Dimitar Mitov. In between, a last-gasp block from Liam Morrison stopped Moore's netbound effort. Aberdeen welcomed the half-time whistle.

Robinson made two changes at half time - Toyosi Olusanya and Alexander Jensen came on for Kenan Bilalovic and Lobban - but any Aberdeen aspirations of a comeback took a serious dunt three minutes later when Ryan Naderi slipped in Moore and while Mitov got a hand to his effort, he could not keep it out.

The Dons looked floored - but Rangers handed them a lifeline on 52 minutes. Chukwuani was slack in possession and Afeez Aremu fed the ball through to Dennis Geiger for the German midfielder to finish coolly past Jack Butland. It was the first time in 2026 that Aberdeen had scored away from Pittodrie.

Rangers wobbled momentarily but it wasn't long before their two-goal cushion was restored on 62 minutes. Aberdeen were too weak, too ill-disciplined. Morrison gave away a silly free-kick, Tavernier curled it in and the ball sat up via Gavin Molloy's back for Raskin to volley home.

Once bitten, twice shy, Rangers decided not to offer up any more gifts. With nothing more to lose, Aberdeen pushed more men forward. Marko Lazetic failed to convert from a tight angle and Olusanya blazed over. There was to be no comeback.

Rangers, however, are staging their own under Rohl. Tavernier completed the scoring in stoppage time with a beautiful free-kick that made up for Bojan Miovski's disallowed goal moments earlier. The Rangers fans shuffled contentedly into the night. Their next visit to Ibrox could be symbolic.