Rangers

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At the end of February, Rangers solidified their title credentials by thumping in-form Hearts at Ibrox before grinding out a gutsy win at Rugby Park - a venue that has haunted them in recent years.

Six weeks later, their hopes of lifting the Premiership have been seriously dented, perhaps beyond repair.

Having won just once in their last five league outings, the wheels have seemingly come off when it matters most and Rangers trail leaders Celtic by three points with five post-split fixtures to come. But what's gone wrong?

The top-flight's meanest defence has been bullied in recent weeks. Rangers have conceded nine goals in this rotten run of five games, the same tally as in the previous 21 since Philippe Clement's arrival in October.

That's with a clean sheet in their abject draw at Dens Park on Wednesday night.

The travelling support could scarcely believe what they were seeing in Dundee. Five-yard passes seemed beyond the visitors. There was a worrying lack of urgency or guile.

In the view of Sportsound pundit Rory Loy, it could point to a familiar story of Rangers' failure to rise to the occasion.

"I don't think that Rangers have dealt well with the pressure," the former Ibrox striker said.

"Some of their stalwarts, [James] Tavernier, [Connor] Goldson, [John] Lundstram, have been in this position before and they don't react well to it. They can't seem to handle it."

Clement has consistently tinkered with his starting line-up since arriving in Govan, but in recent weeks his decisions have been drawing confusion from the support.

The plummeting performance on the pitch has been equally bemusing. The defence has dropped off dramatically. Lundstram has gone from rejuvenated to ragged.

In forward areas, Cyriel Dessers continues to frustrate, Abdallah Sima is still getting up to speed and Fabio Silva flatters to deceive.

The Belgian boss may be defending his players publicly, but behind closed doors, the need for an overhaul in the summer may never have been more stark.

Joshua Barrie, editor of the Rangers Review, told BBC Scotland: "They had got themselves back into the title race, they were winning games they hadn't beforehand.

"It felt like this mentality that had evaded them in previous season had turned up under Clement.

"It's important to caveat it with the fact Clement has overachieved since he arrived. He's performed above expectation, perhaps this is just expectation catching up with him. The players look tired and are hitting a bad run of form at the worst time."

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Rangers' lack of experience in the title race may have cost them, says former Hearts striker Ryan Stevenson.

The Ibrox side followed up their defeat at Ross County with a goalless draw at Dundee, leaving them five points behind leaders Celtic with five games to go.

"They're obviously three points and they have to go to Celtic," Stevenson told BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Goal difference is in Celtic's favour, so it's going to be difficult given the damage the last two results have done.

"You expect Rangers to go to Ross County and win, but it can happen. The manner of the Dundee game, you're thinking whether someone can take the game by the scruff of its neck. It just petered out.

"There's no way tiredness can come into it, they've got the best recovery. Guys on building sites are tired, footballers can't be tired.

"You could see the pressure, for some of the players it was just too much. Maybe they don't have the experience of the title race.

We asked for your thoughts after Rangers' title hopes were dealt another blow by their goalless draw at Dundee.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Dougie: How to hand over the league in two simple steps. I will await Tavernier coming out to apologise for the performance, saying it wasn't to the standard and that lessons have been learnt. Half this squad needs to be gone next season, enough is enough.

Robert: Rangers lack the bottle when the chips are down.

Anon: Well that's our season over then. Two awful performances in a row, and bar beating our great rivals away, the season is set to end in a damp squib. Majorly disappointing.

Marty: Utterly abysmal to a man. A team of inept players, featuring serial losers Tavernier and Goldson. Three trophies in how many years? For the manager to say we were unlucky is surely to publicly protect the players, tell me he doesn't mean that. Big changes required.

Anon: If the Ross County defeat didn't confirm the league was gone, this dismal draw against Dundee just confirmed it. Too many Rangers players not at it again. Time for a clear out of Beale's bang average players & time for the board to back Clement financially.

Robert: The lack of leadership, hunger and desire were there for all to see from Rangers. Not one player willing to make things happen. Not signing a proven goalscorer in January has cost us. Could have played all night and not scored. I look at this Rangers team and don't see any leaders or winners. Every season the same thing happens.

Louise: I’m sure this is the point where some fans will start turning on Clement, but the fact he has come into the club and got us even within touching distance of Celtic is nothing short of a miracle given where we were before. Unfortunately, it was the players who became complacent when it mattered. I hope they can react on Sunday.

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Were you at Dens Park tonight where Rangers dropped another two points in the title race?

Give us your reaction here.

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement: "We should have won this game, we were the best team by far.

"The most possession by far, the most chances. Things didn't go our side with saves from the goalkeeper and blocks from other players.

"We've always been a team who scores a lot of goals, that's disappointing not taking the deserved three points.

"Today, I was disappointed. I was angry after the Ross County game because we lost our structure and our football in a big part of the game.

"That was not the case today, we played attacking football with a lot of players in front."

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Clive Lindsay, BBC Scotland Sport

For the second game in a row, a stranger to Scottish football would have had difficulty picking out this Rangers team as the title contenders.

Dundee's tigerish midfield appeared to have too much energy for their Rangers counterparts and, although Rangers gradually dominated the possession, it was laboured and lacking the creativity required to break down a well-organised home defence.

Clement had handed injury troubled Kemar Roofe a first start since December in place of Cyriel Dessers up front, but the Jamaica international looked too lightweight and lacking match fitness to trouble a Dundee defence seeking a second clean sheet in a row.

Rangers have gone from a position where they could have been two points ahead of Celtic by winning their two games in hand to one where, even if they win the final Old Firm derby of the season away to their city rivals, they will be behind on goal difference should both sides win their other four remaining games.

While the pressure looks to have been too great for Rangers to handle, Dundee have risen to the occasion in recent weeks with only one defeat in six outings.

Rangers had won their previous eight meetings between the sides by a 22-2 aggregate, with Dundee last avoiding defeat in December 2018.

However, these Dark Blues are a different beast under Tony Docherty and, despite it being their first season back in the top flight, have every right to be dreaming of bringing European nights back to Dens Park.

After two postponements because of the state of their pitch, the home fans will feel this was a game well worth waiting for.

Dundee manager Tony Docherty makes three changes to his starting line-up for Rangers' visit.

Two are in defence, where Owen Dodgson and Ricki Lamie come in for Antonio Portales and Aaron Donnelly following their goalless draw in Aberdeen.

Meanwhile, Malachi Boateng takes the place of Dara Costelloe in midfield, with the displaced trio all finding a place on the bench.

Kemar Roofe makes a rare start for Rangers as manager Philippe Clement makes three changes from the side that lost to Ross County on Sunday.

The injury troubled striker replaces Cyriel Dessers, who drops to the bench along with Borna Barisic and Kieran Dowell.

Dujon Sterling starts at left-back, while Tom Lawrence returns to central midfield.

Dundee: McCracken, Dodgson, Shaughnessy, McGhee, Tiffoney, Bakayoko, Cameron, Lamie, McCowan, Boateng, Sylla.

Substitutes: Carson, Astley, Main, Mulligan, Robertson, Donnelly, Mellon, Portales, Costelloe.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Sterling, Lundstram, Lawrence, Cantwell, Silva, Sima, Roofe.

Substitutes: McCrorie, Dessers, Matondo, Dowell, Davies, Barisic, King, Raskin, McCausland.

The predicted "bump in the road" forecast by Rangers manager Philippe Clement has given him and the team quite a jolt these past few days.

Clement was keen a while back to stress that long undefeated runs, or stretches of successive victories, don't last all season. He’s been proven correct.

Not that the weekend humbling in the Highlands should be filed away under ‘one-offs’. The trend behind the latest disappointing result points to a more worrying dip in form at just the wrong time.

Recent results tell a worrying tale for Rangers’ title prospects. Coming to the crunch of the Premiership campaign, the Ibrox side seem to have run out of steam.

In their last four Premiership matches, they’ve picked up just one win. Five precious points spilled at home to Motherwell and Celtic, a further three left behind in Dingwall to an inspired Ross County. Four points from their last available dozen simply won’t cut it at this, or any, stage of the season.

Broadening things out a little doesn’t make for much better reading either. Rangers have won just twice in their last seven outings across all competitions. Has the effort to reel in the seven-point Premiership deficit Clement inherited taken its toll, given the added burden of a successful League Cup campaign and a run to the Europa League last 16?

Luckily for Clement and Co, Celtic’s form these past four months has been patchy. In 17 league matches since early December, Celtic have dropped 15 points. However, were it not for Rabbi Matondo’s fabulous stoppage-time equaliser at Ibrox, the champions would have had a perfect record in their last four outings.

The pendulum has swung back in Celtic’s favour but Rangers are still the masters of their own destiny. That only continues to be the case, of course, if no further points are spilled on the notorious Dens Park pitch.

So much has been said about this fixture and that patch of grass already. If Rangers can’t find a way to win on it, their title tilt falls flat on its face in the mud.

That bump in the road could very quickly turn into a car crash unless Clement can steer his side back to winning ways.

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Ex-Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson believes next month's post-split Old Firm encounter is set up to be a "winner takes all" derby - as long as his former side don't slip up again.

Thomson feels Celtic are now in the driving seat given the Ibrox side's shock defeat at Ross County on Sunday, but victory in their game in hand at Dundee on Wednesday will move them within a point of their rivals.

Rangers have four fixtures, including a Scottish Cup semi-final with Hearts, to navigate before the final league derby of the campaign.

Providing both the top two win all their Premiership games until then, the Govan club may well have to claim a rare victory at Celtic Park if they are to win the title.

"The Ross County defeat was a sore one," Thomson said on the Scottish Football Podcast. "It was a dagger to the heart for all the fans because now the onus is on Rangers to not slip up again.

"In recent times it looks as though Celtic are starting to hit a bit of form as well. But I still think there are going to be lots of twists and turns.

"The third [Old Firm game] after the split could be a winner takes all, so what an exciting climax there could be, but I certainly don't think it's over at all."

Goalkeeper Jack Butland says Rangers' title bid hasn't "gone out the window" after defeat at Ross County on Sunday as they look to bounce back with victory at Dundee on Wednesday night.

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Dundee’s Diego Pineda returns from a thigh injury, meaning Owen Beck (groin) is the only absentee.

Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande will again miss out after having an operation on his thumb and Ridvan Yilmaz remains sidelined along with Ryan Jack (calf).

Danilo (knee) and Oscar Cortes, who had surgery on a muscle injury, are likely to miss the rest of the season.

Goalkeeper Jack Butland has backed James Tavernier and Connor Goldson to silence their critics after the Rangers defenders came under fire following the 3-2 defeat to Ross County. (The Herald)

Hearts should be "smelling blood" in the Scottish Cup semi-final after Rangers' shock loss in the Highlands, says former Tynecastle midfielder Ryan Stevenson. (Daily Record)

Heart of Midlothian could have to fork out about £150,000 for guaranteeing they would sell 21,000 tickets for Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final with Rangers - because the total sits on 17,500. (Scottish Sun)

Ex-Celtic striker John Hartson was minutes away from signing for Rangers on the same day as Netherlands legend Ronald de Boer - but an ankle scan meant the deal was called off at the last minute. (Scottish Sun)

Former Rangers striker Jason Cummings scored a late goal to clinch the Indian title for Mohun Bagan - his fourth league championship in four different countries. (Scottish Sun)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement is confident James Tavernier will cope with the criticism coming his way because he's well aware the Rangers captaincy can be "heaven or hell".

Long-serving skipper Tavernier has come in for flak from some supporters after the shock 3-2 defeat at Ross County on Sunday that put a big dent in Rangers' title bid.

As he prepares for Wednesday's trip to face Dundee, manager Clement said: “That’s part of being captain and I’ve been in that position also in the past.

"As captain you’re a symbol of the club and when things go well you’re the main man and you get all the praise and all the spotlight.

"When things are not well, and in this time and age it’s different from before because it’s every three days, heaven or hell, so you get more stick. That’s part of the job and Tav is ready for that, it’s not his first experience in that way.

"He also got a lot of praise this season, what he deserved for what he’d been doing. Was he good on Sunday? No. He was also the first one to recognise that. There was not really one (player) on the pitch who was really good.”

Rangers will travel to Celtic Park for the Scottish Premiership's final Old Firm derby of the season on Saturday, 12 May.

It is one of three post-split away games for the Ibrox side, who begin with a trip to St Mirren and end the season at Hearts.

Rangers' post-split fixtures (All times BST):

• St Mirren (A) - Sunday 28 April, 12:30

• Kilmarnock (H) - Sunday, 5 May 13:00

• Celtic (A) - Saturday, 11 May 12:30

• Dundee (H) - Tuesday, 14 May 19:30

• Hearts (A) - Saturday, 18 May 12:30

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Rangers manager Phillipe Clement says Dundee can play with no pressure against his side in Wednesday night's rearranged game at Dens Park after securing a top-six finish at the weekend.

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Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been facing the media as his side look to make amends for their defeat to Ross County when they face Dundee on Wednesday.

Here are the key points:

• Very happy the Dundee fixture is going ahead at Dens Park as planned. Those making the decisions must be “200% certain” the game will go ahead.

• Dundee have a “free ride” against Rangers now they have secured top six. That wouldn’t have been the case had they played a week ago.

• The Rangers players were “disappointed in themselves” for their performance against Ross County, which the Belgian views as a positive reaction to the Dingwall defeat.

• Clement has been watching documentary about Man City’s treble-winning season and notes even they had off days. Ross County loss was this team’s only off day in six months, he says.

• The criticism levelled at James Tavernier comes with the territory of being Rangers captain: "It's heaven or hell". Clement adds the defender would be the first to admit he didn't play well on Sunday and he's experienced enough to deal with the noise.

• Leon Balogun is ill and a doubt for Wednesday night. Ridvan Yilmaz is back training and will feature before the end of the season, but it could be a few days or two weeks before the Turkey international is fit.