It might not have been the best footballing display but nevertheless Dick Advocaat would have been happy to get back to winning ways with the crucial match against Monaco now just six days away.
Miller fired Rangers into the lead after just 11 minutes and Ferguson increased that 18 minutes later with no reply from SPL basement boys United.
But the big shock of the evening was Lorenzo Amoruso being stripped of the captain’s armband which was handed to midfielder Ferguson.
But the youngster, who also lead the team out against Galatasaray recently, rose to the occasion and capped a fine performance with the second goal.
Ferguson’s strike arrived in the 29th minute when he volleyed home a neat little chip through by Tugay Kerimoglu, leaving United ‘keeper Alan Combe with absolutely no chance.
That goal doubled Rangers’ lead after Fergie’s fellow young Scot, Kenny Miller, had fired them into the lead with just 11 minutes of the game gone.
Again it was Turkish midfield man Tugay who was the provided, threading a great ball through which the pacy Miller latched onto before firing low beyond Combe from about 15 yards out.
Alex Smith’s men rarely threatened but they did have a good chance sandwiched in-between Gers’ two goals. It came on the 19th minute when their dangly young frontman Steven Thompson fired in a header from a Jamie Buchan corner which just shaved the post.
But it was Tugay who was pulling all the strings in the match and after 33 minutes he had a magnificent effort himself from about 25 yards out which scraped the top of Combe’s crossbar.
Four minutes later Billy Dodds, playing against one of his former clubs, went even closer with a header which cannoned off the crossbar from an inch-perfect Neil McCann cross.
Rangers went in 2-0 at the break and Dick Advocaat, hoping for his first win in SEVEN games, would have been happy with the scoreline.
After the re-start, however, it was United who had the greatest urgency about them and they almost got back into the game with 66 minutes on the clock.
Scott Wilson slipped while in possession of the ball and that allowed substitute striker Nvondo Atangana in but he fired just over Jesper Christiansen’s crossbar.
Advocaat freshened things up with 14 minutes of the game to go, bringing goal scoring hero Kenny Miller off and introducing Peter Lovenkrands to the field of play.
Two minutes later Tugay had yet another effort on goal but his blistering 30-yard strike was punched away by Combe.
That proved to be the last chance of a match in which Rangers did what they had to do. They now face St Mirren at home this Saturday before the big one, Le Crunch, against the French champions Monaco, again at Ibrox, next Tuesday evening.
Christiansen, Ricksen, Porrini, Wilson, Amoruso, Numan, Ferguson, Tugay, McCann, Miller (Lovenkrands 76), Dodds Subs (not used): Konterman, Brown, J Gibson, Ross