WITH Celtic failing to overcome Livingston on the artificial pitch on the Tony Macaroni Stadium earlier, Rangers had a chance to move to within two points of their city rivals and Hearts at the top of the Ladbrokes Premiership at Ibrox yesterday afternoon.

They grasped it firmly with both hands. Their cause was helped by Motherwell having Carl McHugh sent off in the first-half and then performing woefully thereafter. But this was an significant result for the victors nonetheless.

So what did we learn from the most emphatic victory of Steven Gerrard’s reign to date?

RANGERS ARE IN THE TITLE RACE

Rangers will be confident they can keep up the pressure up on both Celtic and Hearts in the coming weeks, and possibly even leapfrog them both, after this exceptional all-round display and resounding win.

Yes, Motherwell are in ninth place in the league and, yes, they had a man sent off when the scoreline was delicately balanced at 1-1.

Still, this performance, which came just three days after a mentally and physically draining Europa League game against Spartak Moscow in Russia, augurs well for the coming weeks and months.

Gerrard made four changes to the team that lost 4-3 in Moscow due to injuries to Connor Goldson and Ryan Kent, Daniel Candeias being suspended and Lassana Coulibaly being excused as the result of a family bereavement. But his side excelled.

Securing second spot was seen by many as the best Rangers could hope for this season despite the arrival of Gerrard and the extensive rebuilding he carried out in the summer. But can they challenge for their first league title in eight years? If they keep performing like this they can.

REFEREEING DECISIONS CHANGE GAMES

Motherwell silenced the 49,802-strong crowd inside Ibrox - apart from that is, their own small band of supporters who were shoehorned into the corner between the Broomloan Road Stand and Sandy Jardine Stand - with a brilliantly-worked equaliser midway through the first-half.

Ryan Bowman received the ball from Gael Bigirimana, turned Nikola Katic and squared to his team mate Curtis Main who had the simplest of tasks to net from a few yards out.

At that point in proceedings, the visitors, who got a deserved point against their opponents at Fir Park back in August, would have been hopeful of getting another result.

Yet, just 10 minutes later they had been reduced to 10 men after Carl McHugh was shown his second yellow card in four minutes, had fallen a goal behind and had little or no hope of a draw never mind a victory.

McHugh’s first caution for a foul on Alfredo Morelos was contentious. The Colombian striker went down as if he had been shot by a sniper. His actions angered Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson to such a degree that he became involved in a heated exchange with Rangers assistant Gary McAllister.

Robinson was incandescent when McHugh was then booked and sent off by referee Craig Thomson shortly after that for handling an Andy Halliday shot inside his own area. He became embroiled in an altercation with McAllister and technical coach Tom Culshaw.

He was, after fourth official Craig Napier had had a quiet word with Thomson, the next to receive his marching orders.

STEPHEN ROBINSON IS NOT AN ALFREDO MORELOS FAN

Robinson accepted that McHugh had handled the Halliday shot and should, having been booked shortly before that, been sent off “under the letter of the law”. But the conduct of Morelos at the first yellow card incensed him. He feels officials in this country are being fooled by the South American on a weekly basis and must get wise to his antics.

JAMES TAVERNIER IS THE PENALTY KING

The Rangers captain and right back stepped forward to take the spot kick and, as he had done on seven previous occasions in the 2018/19 campaign, buried it with a low shot into the bottom right corner.

But, unbeknown to the defender, Robinson had not left his technical area. So he had to retake it. Undeterred, he promptly slotted past rival goalkeeper Trevor Carson once again to take his tally to the season to nine in all competitions.

The Englishman, who set up Scott Arfield for the opening goal and Eros Grezda for the last with fine deliveries from wide on the right, frequently frustrates Rangers fans with his defensive lapses. He had been poor in that respect in the Europa League defeat to Spartak Moscow in Russia a few days earlier.

But with the ball at his feet going forward he is dangerous and from 12 yards out he is lethal.

STEVEN GERRARD GIVES YOUTH A CHANCE

It may seem strange to say this after a game which saw Northern Ireland centre half Gareth McAuley, who turns 39 next month, come on to make his Ibrox debut.

But Gerrard, who broke into the Liverpool first team aged 18 and never looked back, has no qualms about giving kids game time.

Glenn Middleton, certainly, has flourished under his guidance. The winger, who scored against Spartak away, supplied Alfredo Morelos for his goal with a well-taken corner in the first-half and then scored himself in the second after good work by Arfield and Eros Grezda.

However, Serge Atakayi, the 19-year-old Finnish winger who originally hails from the Democratic Republic of Congo, made his debut late on. The absence of Daniel Candeias and Ryan Kent created an opening for him.

But Gerrard should be applauded for having faith in the most promising talents emerging from the Hummel Training Centre .