RANGERS have already wrapped up this year’s Scottish Premiership title with six games to spare.
Steven Gerrard’s side remain unbeaten, having left Parkhead with a point last Sunday, and look set to break the 100-point barrier this campaign.
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Gerrard’s third season has seen the maturing of a squad who had in previous years fallen short when pressure reared its head. They have conceded just 10 goals so far and won 28 of 33 matches.
So, which games of those 33 does Gerrard believe to be most consequential in the race for 55?
Aberdeen 0-1 Rangers: August 1, 2020
Rangers travelled to Pittodrie on the opening day of the season, as they did in Gerrard’s first season in Scotland. They put in an assured performance to win 1-0, with Ianis Hagi and Alfredo Morelos combining well to assist Ryan Kent’s winning goal in the first half.
Having looked so fragile heading into lockdown, it was imperative that Rangers did not falter at the first hurdle. After all, the 2-2 draw with the Dons, having led 2-0, at the tail end of 2019 was a sign of the failure to come in the new year.
“Over the course of this journey this season, I think we set the standard with a 1-0 win at Aberdeen on the opening day,” he said speaking to Sky Sports.
“I think people don’t talk about that enough, because that gets you off and running at a real tough place to go.”
Hibs 0-1 Rangers: January 27, 2021
Having dropped points at Easer Road earlier in the season, Rangers travelled to Edinburgh on a Wednesday night knowing a win would edge them closer to the title.
Alfredo Morelos, who was handed a retrospective three-match ban for a stamp on Ryan Porteous, scored early in the second half curtesy of a well worked move.
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“Hibs away, to win 1-0 when you’re put at the back of a stand and it’s a cold night and the pitch is not great and the test and the challenge is there,” he added.
“The cameras are there waiting for you to have a little bit of a bump in the road, but we played with tremendous togetherness and character and belief. That was a big moment.”
Including this match, and Rangers’ three following ties against Kilmarnock, Hamilton and St Johnstone, they only scored four goals.
But were it not for a late concession against Hamilton they would have picked up maximum points. This was certainly not their most free scoring point of this season, but it demonstrated a mentality shift from campaigns gone by.
Livingston 0-1 Rangers: March 3, 2021
The Tony Macaroni arena had hosted the only domestic match in which Rangers have not scored this season, a 0-0 draw back in August 2020.
That feat looked to have repeated itself as the clock hit 86 minutes last month. Gerrard had been sent to the stands and Morelos denied a clear penalty. But a cool-headed Steven Davis forced Max Stryjek to palm the ball into the path of Morelos who took Rangers to within four points of the title.
🗣️ "The day is coming.... very soon!"
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) March 3, 2021
That man Alfredo Morelos puts Rangers ahead late on!
📺 Watch Livingston v Rangers live on Sky Sports Football now pic.twitter.com/xzK5DPCtKH
“Going away to Livingston on the astroturft, people questioned whether we had the bottle, whether we could show style and enough to get over the line, Gerrard continued.
“There was a lot of questions asked about us. We went over there and performed ever so well, should have won the game by more. Another important victory basically to put one hand on the trophy and then it was just about seeing it through which we did.”
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