Rangers will not be lifting the SPL trophy on Sunday at Ibrox unless Celtic draw or lose to Hibernian on Saturday. A win here at Tannadice tonight would have made this possible but Rangers could only manage a 0-0 draw away to United.
So unless Hibernian can do us a favour against Celtic on Saturday, there will be no title party at Ibrox this weekend and Rangers must wait a little longer. Winning it this weekend would have been ideal as there is no other home game until the last day of the season with Rangers facing THREE away fixtures in a row thanks to the crazy SPL split system.
Rangers just made the one change from the team that beat Aberdeen 3-1 last week. Madjid Bougherra made his return from injury at the expense of youngster Danny Wilson who dropped to the bench. Kyle Lafferty retained his place up front ahead of Kris Boyd.
It was very far from being a classic game, both teams had their chances but in the end they could not be seperated. Rangers first chance came from a Steven Davis free-kick which he sent just wide of the right-hand post. Gary Kenneth came close ten minutes later for Dundee United with a long shot which Allan McGregor managed to save with his leg.
Kenny Miller was so unlucky not to give Rangers the lead close to the end of the first-half when he fired in a sweet volley from just outside the area but the volleyed shot was saved superbly by Pernis.
Maurice Edu came close for Rangers just after the restart with a blistering shot which went just past Pernis’ right-hand post. Rangers enjoyed a good spell of pressure without really creating too many clear cut chances. Kyle Lafferty had a shot but couldn’t get the ball through the mass of legs in a crowded penalty area.
Dundee United were reduced to ten men after a moment of stupidity from Michael Kovacevic, with Kyle Lafferty at the centre of it again. Both players had been warned after a tussle near the touchline. Lafferty then proceeded to wind up Kovacevic TWICE in the next few moments and the United defender finally snapped, and pulled Lafferty’s shirt then lashed out at him.
The big fella deserved to walk but I have to say he was severly provoked by Lafferty who it seems is determind to make everyone hate him. Very unsporting behaviour by Lafferty who in my opinion set out to get a reaction from him and to get him sent off. Maybe I’m wrong but that’s how I seen it I’m afraid.
Going down to ten men didn’t seem to affect United too much and they still made a good game of it. Rangers were having most of the attacking play without really producing many chances. They were being caught offside way too often but a well organised United defence.
Kenny Miller very nearly won it for Rangers near the end though when he went on a run through the United defence and fired in a shot which came crashing off the post. 0-0 was how it finished though and Rangers are now FIVE points away from clinching the title.
Let’s hope results go our way at the weekend and we can have a title party at Ibrox.
Dundee United Pernis, Dillon, Dods, Kenneth, Robertson (Conway 61), Buaben, Gomis, Kovacevic, Myrie-Williams (Watson 72), Cadamarteri, Sandaza (Goodwillie 75).
SUBS NOT USED: Banks, Swanson, Daly, Casalinuovo.
SENT OFF: Kovacevic.
Rangers McGregor, Whittaker, Weir, Bougherra, Papac, Davis, Edu (Thomson 90), McCulloch, Naismith (Boyd 57), Lafferty (Novo 73), Miller.
SUBS NOT USED: Alexander, Wilson, Fleck, Little.
YELLOW CARDS: Papac, Davis, Lafferty.
Referee: Winter.
Join Vital Rangers
It’s easy to register , simply click the link and enjoy getting involved (you can even win prizes!)
Message Board To visit the message board, click here.
Get involved This website is your website and we are looking for people to help run the site. Do you go to most of the games and have an opinion? Why not write a match report? Perhaps you are a budding journalist or even just someone who is very opinionated? Well why not join our team? If this interests you please contact rangers@vitalfootball.co.uk.
Click on the images below to go to the Vital Rangers twitter and facebook pages, and then click on ‘follow’ on twitter, and ‘Become A Fan’ on facebook.
