IT WAS a dominant display from Rangers at Tynecastle this evening as Michael Beale’s side earned a 3-0 victory against Hearts.
A double from Alfredo Morelos and a goal from Malik Tillman secured Gers all three points in a fantastic performance in the capital.
Beale named two changes from the weekend’s victory over St Johnstone with John Lundstram and Fashion Jr coming into the starting line-up in place of Todd Cantwell and Ryan Jack.
Rangers lined-up at Tynecastle with Allan McGregor in goal and a back four of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Ben Davies and Borna Barisic.
Lundstram was in midfield alongside Malik Tillman and Glen Kamara, with Fashion Jr and Ryan Kent supporting striker Alfredo Morelos.
Rangers looked to start on the front-foot as Borna Barisic delivered the ball into the box inside the opening minute in search of Fashion Jr but the home side were able to clear the danger.
Gers found the back of the net with six minutes on the clock as Fashion Jr made a fantastic run down the right to deliver a dangerous ball into the box but Alfredo Morelos was offside as he tapped the ball beyond Zander Clark in the Hearts goal.
However, it wasn’t long until Rangers had the breakthrough at Tynecastle in a well-worked set-piece from the Light Blues.
Barisic took a quick free-kick to release Ryan Kent on the left with the winger showing his pace to take a touch beyond a Hearts player before he lifted a lovely ball into the box with Morelos rising to head beyond Clark and give Rangers a deserved early lead in Edinburgh.
It was a dominant first 20 minutes from Michael Beale’s side but on the counter-attack Hearts gave Rangers a warning as they came close to an equaliser. The home side broke forward through Garang Kuol who found the run of former Ranger Barrie Mckay on the overlap but Allan McGregor produced a strong save to block his low effort.
At the other end, James Tavernier whipped a ball into the box which Fashion Jr controlled before taking a shot at goal but his strike came off the body of Kyle Rowles.
As the match approached the half-hour mark, Rangers had the ball in the back of the net again as Fashion Jr latched on the end of a ball from Ryan Kent before slotting low beyond the goalkeeper but the linesman raised his flag for offside and following a VAR check the goal was disallowed.
Rangers were continuing to threaten as Malik Tillman picked up a loose ball to find Fashion Jr in space in the box. He looked certain to double the Gers’ advantage but Zander Clark got a strong hand on the ball to deny the striker.
In the 35th minute, the Light Blues doubled their advantage and once again it was a superb set-piece which broke down the Hearts defence. A corner from James Tavernier was played short to Borna Barisic on the edge of the box, the left-back delivered an inviting ball to the back post which Connor Goldson headed back across goal with Malik Tillman on hand to turn behind Zander Clark for his seventh goal of the season.
Before half-time, Kent had a deflected strike come back off the post as he released a shot at goal from inside the box before John Lundstram was denied as Zander Clark pushed wide a powerful strike from distance.
Just three minutes into the second-half, John Beaton pointed to the spot as Ryan Kent was taken down in the box by Alex Cochrane. Following a VAR check, the decision was overturned and Kent was shown a yellow card.
Morelos was next to have a strike at Hearts goal as he was played in by Fashion Jr but his effort was saved by Zander Clark.
For the third time in the match, Rangers were denied by the offside flag as Fashion Jr slotted low beyond the keeper but the linesman had his flag raised as the ball hit the back of the net.
Just after the half-hour mark, the striker fired over from close range after Zander Clark was unable to hold onto a cross from Borna Barisic.
Hearts were seeing a bit more of the ball in the first 15 minutes of the second-half as Alan Forrest curled a shot towards goal from the edge of the box but it was gathered comfortably by McGregor.
However, Rangers were able to increase their advantage further as Morelos got his second of the evening. A long-ball from Connor Goldson found Fashion Jr on the right and he delivered a ball across the face of goal which was tapped home at the back post by Alfredo Morelos.
The linesman raised his flag for offside in the build-up to the goal but following a VAR check, Gers were awarded the goal.
In the 75th minute, Beale made three changes to his side with Todd Cantwell, Ryan Jack and Antonio Colak introduced in place of Ryan Kent, Malik Tillman and Alfredo Morelos.
Shankland fired just over the bar for Hearts as they looked to get a goal back in this match before Antonio Colak was denied by the feet of Zander Clark.
Clark was on hand again in the final minutes of the 90 as he pushed away a Connor Goldson header.
RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Davies, Barisic, Lundstram (Lowry, 89), Tillman (Jack, 75), Kamara, Fashion Jr (Wright, 84), Kent (Cantwell, 75), Morelos (Colak,75).
Subs: McLaughlin, Sands, King, Devine.
Hearts: Clark, Kingsley, Shankland, Rowles, McKay, Cochrane, Sibbick, Ginnelly (Oda, 72), Kuol (Kiomourtzoglou, 46), Hill (Forrest, 46), Snodgrass.
Subs: Stewart, Grant, Atkinson, Halliday, Neilson, McLuckie.