FROM the sublime to the simple. Kemar Roofe has shown that he can do a little bit of everything for Rangers this season.

Some of his moments – such as the strike from the halfway line against Standard Liege or the drive into the top corner in the draw with Benfica – will rightly get more attention than others. But Roofe’s contribution to the cause is significantly greater and more profound than goals that go viral online.

Come the end of the campaign, his highlights reel will include a near post finish against Ross County, two poacher’s goals at home to Motherwell and a close-range conversion from the victory away to St Johnstone in midweek.

For boss Steven Gerrard, those goals are even more important. That is not to take anything away from the vision and the quality of the execution of some of the others that Roofe has netted, but merely further proof that the forward is showing he is a well-rounded package in the final third.

The strikers that Gerrard has at his disposal – Roofe, Alfredo Morelos, Cedric Itten and Jermain Defoe – offer him options and alternatives in terms of style and experience. Given their varying qualities, Rangers have a centre-forward for every occasion and situation this term.

It is Roofe that is now emerging as the main man, however, and his 11th strike of the campaign was crucial to Gerrard’s side as he set Rangers on course for victory over St Johnstone.

As Ianis Hagi lined up to shoot from the edge of the area, Roofe was alert to the opportunity that could fall his way. When keeper Zander Clark spilled the ball just yards from goal, Roofe reacted in a split-second to break the deadlock and St Johnstone’s resistance.

“Sometimes when you have got strikers, they are the best goals for me because that is what you want them to do,” Gerrard said. “Obviously Kemar has scored some bangers this season from outside the box, which is pleasing and I am sure they will be his favourites.

“But, for me, when you have got a number nine and you are taking shots, it is important you are in the right place. It bounced off the keeper and if he is not there then it is cleared away.

“I think that is just as important a goal as scoring from outside the box so it was really pleasing to see.

“We altered his role on Wednesday night and he was in a great place. We wanted to bring more technical players in to try and open them up and that has worked.”

The performance of Roofe was just one of several pleasing aspects for Gerrard to take from the trip to Perth. The most important, of course, were the three points that ensured Rangers consolidated their advantage over Celtic at the top of the table.

There was a rare goal, albeit certainly a fine and deserved one, for Glen Kamara, while Hagi capped an encouraging evening personally with the third just after the break.

There have been times this term where Rangers could have been accused of over-playing in certain areas but Hagi has never been afraid to try his luck. With someone as alert as Roofe on the park, chances can come out of chances.

Gerrard said: “There were a lot of strong performances individually and collectively, and if we can keep continuing to get that, I will be very happy.

"It took us probably a quarter of an hour to unleash a good shot. To be fair to Ianis, he comes into the team and one thing he will do for us is take shots on and he doesn't mind taking a risk in his passing or his shooting and I like that and we got our rewards for it.

"But your nine has got to be sniffing that out in the right area, he has got to be quickest to react and Kemar is in a fantastic place. The reason I took him off was just to offload him for the next game."

That fixture arrives this afternoon as Hibernian make the trip to Ibrox aiming to become the first Premiership side to deny Rangers victory on home soil this term.

The Gers will end the year with a return to St Mirren and the second Old Firm clash of the campaign and the coming week could be defining in the title race as they seek to maintain their momentum going into the second half of the season.

Time will tell if Roofe starts at centre-forward once again or joins Ryan Kent in one of the support roles alongside Morelos. Wherever he features, he is sure to have a key role to play once again.

“He is certainly playing well, he is enjoying it and he is happy,” Gerrard said. “He is fit. When he first came, he was carrying a few niggles but they are clear at the moment.

“Touch wood he stays fit and if he does then he will be a real handful at this level. He works his socks off, he does everything out of possession that you ask of him, he is clever and bright and he can create and score. He has got the mentality that I really like.”