The Georgian’s effort – with 82 minutes showing on the stadium scoreboard – was enough to earn all three points and close the gap at the top of the SPL to eight points prior to Celtic’s match at Tynecastle tomorrow.
However, after the sparkling cup win over Hibs the previous weekend, this was a rather flat return to league duty from the Light Blues who offered very little to warm the home support on a freezing winter’s afternoon.
The absence of Chris Burke – so often the source of Rangers’ creativity – seemed to rob the Ibrox side of any real enterprise leaving Nuno Capucho and Arveladze to feed off what few scraps presented themselves throughout a torpid 90 minutes.
Burke’s omission meant a home debut for Hamed Namouchi while Craig Moore also returned to the side in place of the absent Fernando Ricksen.
Unlike Motherwell sides of the past who have arrived at fortress Ibrox shaking in their boots in trepidation, Terry Butcher’s side – galvanised following their reprieve from relegation last season – had little to fear from a largely toothless showing from their hosts.
Namouchi – often isolated down the right wing – looked the Light Blues player most likely to create anything and the French-Tunisian forced a decent save from Gordon Marshall in Rangers’ first real chance after eight minutes.
It was the one and only time the former Celtic stopper was called into action in the first period.
A half-hearted penalty appeal from Peter Lovenkrands – after he seemed to hurdle Keith Lasley in the box – and a Moore header from Mikel Arteta’s corner that sailed well over the crossbar were the only other occasions that Rangers threatened the Well goal.
The visitors, largely content to soak up the pressure and play on the counter attack, created precious few chances themselves – it must have been tough going on any neutrals in the crowd – although Stephen Craigan possibly should have done better when he couldn’t direct a header from Steven Hammell’s corner on target.
Sadly, the second half fared little better. Marshall pulled off a decent save from an Arveladze drive just four minutes after the re-start – he would have been grateful for the chance to get himself warm – but such moments were at a premium.
Bob Malcolm thundered an effort well over the bar – he was soon after replaced by Michael Mols – with Christian Nerlinger also making his first appearance of 2004 in place of Arteta as McLeish tried to insert fresh vigour into his impotent side.
As the frustrated groans became increasingly audible all around the stadium, Arveladze – as he has done so often this season – got Rangers off the hook with just eight minutes remaining.
His short pass into Capucho was expertly returned by the Portuguese for Arveladze to calmly slot past Marshall for his thirteenth goal of the season.
It was a goal that had never looked like coming and was welcomed with great relief all around Ibrox.
RANGERS (4-4-2): 1 Klos; 15 Khizanishvili, 25 Berg, 3 Moore, 16 Vanolil; 37 Namouchi (Ross 87), 12 Malcolm (Mols 63), 23 Arteta (Nerlinger 59), 26 Lovenkrands; 7 Arveladze, 20 Capucho
Subs not used: McGregor, Ball
Booked: Moore (40), Arveladze (81)
MOTHERWELL (4-4-2): 1 Marshall; 19 Quinn, 2 Corrigan, 5 Craigan, 3 Hammell; 4 Lasley, 7 Adams, 8 Leitch (Bollan 86), 9 Dair; 18 Clarkson, 11 Burns (McDonald 73)
Subs not used: Corr, O’Donnell, Kinniburgh
Booked: Burns (28)
Man of the Match: Craig Moore