Dundee United had boss Micky Mellon back in the dugout after his spell of self-isolation but his presence wasn’t enough to trouble Rangers.
Mellon had been staying in the house after coronavirus came calling at the club but his return to the touchline couldn’t help the Tangerines, who lost 2-1 to the league-leading Light Blues at Tannadice.
Liam Smith’s first goal for United pulled them level on 33 minutes after James Tavernier’s sublime freekick opener for the visitors seven minutes earlier.
United could feel slightly sorry for themselves that they were behind at the break, with Connor Goldson’s glancing header on 44 minutes restoring the Light Blues’ lead.
The visitors piled on the pressure in the second half but there was no further scoring.
United made only one change to the team that started against Livingston eight days earlier, with Jamie Robson replacing Dillon Powers. Robson slotted in at left-back, freeing up Adrian Sporle for a role further forward.
There was a place on the bench for the just-turned-16 Kerr Smith to celebrate the young defender’s signing of a new deal with the Tangerines.
Rangers had a more familiar look about them after resting some key men for Thursday’s Europa League win away to Lech Poznan.
Tavernier, Ryan Kent, Allan McGregor, Steven Davis and Alfredo Morelos returned to the line-up along with Scott Arfield.
The visitors boasted a remarkable record of 14 clean sheets in 16 Premiership matches, while the Tangerines’ attack had not been the most prolific this season. The hosts would need something special to change all that.
United made a bright enough start, though, and Smith should have caused Rangers problems with a cross from the right but instead, with no shout to warn him, he was dispossessed.
The Tangerines threatened again on nine minutes when, following a corner, first Mark Connolly then Mark Reynolds had shots blocked. Ryan Edwards then had a header deflected past for another corner.
There was danger for them on 11 minutes, however, when Ibrox striker Morelos was allowed to run forward then unleash a shot from outside the box that wasn’t too far away. The same player was lucky to get only a booking when he caught Connolly with his elbow just a minute later. It could easily have been a red.
Rangers’ Arfield sent a great cross in for Kemar Roofe, who couldn’t quite connect then, on 25 minutes, a sweeping move from United saw them race upfield. Ian Harkes played a weighted pass forward to Shankland. Keeper Allan McGregor came way out his goal to block and Smith tried to catch him out with a lob that went by the post.
Just a minute later, it was 1-0 to the Light Blues thanks to a beautiful freekick from Tavernier. It was 30 yards from goal but the free-scoring Rangers man placed it into the top right-hand corner, giving Tangerines’ goalie Benjamin Siegrist no chance.
The home team were still showing fight and character and it looked like Shankland was going to nod home a Marc McNulty cross but it missed him by inches.
Then, with 33 minutes gone, it was 1-1 thanks to Smith.
Robson was the supplier with a cross from the left that reached the other full-back at the far post. The angle was extremely tight but Smith right-footed it back across and in off the other post. It was his first counter for the club and a cracker to boot.
Tavernier volleyed over the bar for Rangers on 42 minutes when it looked easier to score but they did get their noses in front again a minute before the break.
After Morelos had missed with a header, Goldson showed him how to do it when the defender found time and space to nod a Tavernier setpiece past Siegrist to give the Glasgow side a perhaps fortunate advantage at the interval.
Morelos fired wide on 52 minutes as the second period finally sprung to life.
It was mostly Rangers on the attack now and the Tangerines somehow had to find a way to stem the blue tide.
Goldson scooped his a shot over the United bar on 64 minutes after another freekick caused the home team problems.
Morelos should have made it 3-1 when Roofe’s long ball landed at his feet just a few yards from goal but Siegrist stood up to him well and then the Swiss keeper gathered after Tavernier sclaffed the rebound.
Rangers took off Morelos and replaced him with Cedric Itten, who had a chance when he latched on to a long ball. He went around the outrushing Siegrist then cut the ball back to Arfield, whose shot was saved on the line by Connolly’s head.
United were up against it and Arfield came close again with a flick at the near post that hit the woodwork then Siegrist but stayed out on 80 minutes.
The hosts took off Sporle and replaced him with young forward Darren Watson with four minutes to go but they couldn’t find that equaliser.
Dundee United: Siegrist, L. Smith, Sporle (Watson 86), Connolly, Reynolds, McNulty, Edwards, Robson, Harkes, Shankland, Fuchs. Subs not used: Deniz, Powers, Appere, Neilson, Hutchinson, Duffy, K. Smith, Malcolm.
Rangers: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun, Barisic, Davis, Kamara (Zungu 81), Arfield, Kent (Aribo 87), Roofe, Morelos (Itten 73). Subs not used: McLaughlin, Bassey, Helander, Patterson, Hagi, Defoe.
Referee: Steven McLean.