THE story of this match, as predicted and expected, was that the victorious team played with pace, spirit and a huge self-belief while the losers appeared disjointed and unclear what they were supposed to be doing.

That it was Rangers, who remember had been staring at a third straight defeat, were by the length of Paisley Road West the better team at Ibrox was a surprise, almost as much of a shock as just how wretched Aberdeen were.

Was this really more or less the same players that lost to Hamilton and Dundee? It was a quite unfathomable transformation from those two defeats.

Read more: Graeme Murty says Rangers set the benchmark with Aberdeen performance

Graeme Murty, the Rangers interim manager, got everything right. Derek McInnes’s system with three at the back didn’t work, a lack of width in his team played right into the hands. This was not a great night for him.

It wasn’t just that Rangers were good, and they really were from the first whistle, but what impressed from this performance was that every 50-50 was won, second balls were picked up and there was real life about the team.

There were empty seats. Who could blame the absentees? It was a freezing night, the game on television and Rangers have hardly been inspiring of later. However, they produced their best performance of the season.

The punters must find such highs and lows utter bewildering.

Murty caused a surprise pre-match by naming the lesser-spotted Carlos Pena in the starting line-up. Bruno Alves was also back and it was always going to be intriguing to see how the two summer signings, who have so far underwhelmed – and that’s being kind - would get on in such a big game.

Read more: Graeme Murty says Rangers set the benchmark with Aberdeen performance

Alves cruised it and while Pena drifts in and out of the action, he scored showed glimpses of what he might be. And the decision of Murty’s to put young Ross McCrorie in midfield was inspired.

All you can can say about Aberdeen is that they can't play worse.

Rangers almost scored after 29 seconds. They got into Aberdeen’s half straight from Kenny Miller kicking off, the ball was played to James Tavernier on the right and his low cross was just a touch to strong for a stretching Josh Windass directly in front of goal.

However, just six minutes later the home side did take the lead.

Ryan Jack’s cross from the right was partially cleared towards the edge of Aberdeen’s box which Jason Holt was patrolling with not a red shirt near him. The midfielder took a touch, Greg Tansey moved to make a challenge but was high and reckless and crashed into Holt.

The Aberdeen players protested referee Andrew Dallas’s penalty award, but it was hard to know what else he could do. James Tavernier stepped up to the mark and sent his shot dead centre and in.

Rangers were lively, Aberdeen lacklustre. Murty was a buzz of energy on the touchline. In stark contrast, McInnes stood still wondering what was happening to his team.

Pena came close to doubling Rangers lead when he got himself into space on 19 minutes and his well struck shot from 20 yards was pushed over by Joe Lewis.

Read more: Graeme Murty says Rangers set the benchmark with Aberdeen performance

It was high time Aberdeen got into the game. A superb turn and pass from Kenny McLean got Stevie May the wrong side of the Rangers backline on 21 minutes but Wes Foderingham saved a team effort.

A flag rightly saved Aberdeen when Windass found the bottom corner and while that didn’t count, it was yet another example of Rangers’ dominance.

However, this wasn’t a night when Rangers were going to be denied.

Holt, who thoroughly enjoyed himself, ran at the Aberdeen defence which didn’t seem too interested in going to him, his cross found Pena and with a coolness which had up to that moment not been so evident, swept the ball home.

Aberdeen couldn’t do a thing right. Even when McLean’s free-kick into the Rangers’ area caused a bit of panic and the ball bounced a couple of times inside the six-yard box, it was cleared by someone wearing blue, on this occasion Tavernier.

A Pena pass put Tavernier in on goal but a third was denied by Lewis who had read the situation, which is more than can be said for those playing in front of him.

McInnes had to make a change, which he did just before half-time, when the anonymous Tansey made way for Gary Mackay-Steven. And with his first touch the former Celtic man should have scored when he got behind Tavernier but from 12 yards he put his shot wide.

Read more: Graeme Murty says Rangers set the benchmark with Aberdeen performance

The winger could not believe Dallas had not given a penalty but while Tavernier had a hand on him, it would have been incredibly soft.

The conversation at the break focussed on whether Rangers could keep up the tempo and whether Aberdeen could improve on a one out of ten performance.

The Pittodrie men did improve but while they had more possession and managed to string some passes together.

Christie had a couple of shots, one wild, the other Foderingham easily saved, a goal never looked likely.

And on 70 minutes it was all over.

After a period of play which involved half a dozen thumping tackles within a minute, all won by a Ranger player, the ball was shifted to Windass on the right, his cross was perfect and Tavernier superbly turned the ball past Lewis.

Aberdeen's night got even worse with seven remaining when Christie's second yellow reduced them to ten men.

These two go again at Pittodrie on Sunday and your guess is as good as mind as to how it will go.

Read more: Graeme Murty says Rangers set the benchmark with Aberdeen performance

One thing, however, is for sure, if Rangers can get close to this performance against a Aberdeen side with an awful lot to prove the we are in for a treat.

Rangers: Foderingham; Tavernier, Wilson, Alves, John; McCrorie, Jack, Holt, Pena (Candeias 67); Windass, Miller (Herrera 83)

Substitutes not used: Alnwick, Kranjcar, Hodson, Hardie, Bates

Aberdeen: Lewis; Logan, McKenna, Arnason (Stewart 77), Considine; Shinnie, O’Connor; Christie, McLean, Tansey (Mackay-Steven 42) (Rooney 83); May

Substitutes not used: Reynolds, Maynard, Ball, Rogers

Referee: Andrew Dallas

Att; 48, 647