RANGERS lost 1-0 to Dundee United at Tannadice this afternoon in the second match of the Scottish Premiership season.
Jamie Robson’s second-half goal broke the deadlock and ensured a victory for the home side.
Steven Gerrard named four changes to his side from Tuesday evening’s match in Malmo.
There was a welcome return to the starting line-up for Alfredo Morelos after he returned from international duty over the summer break. Jon McLaughlin, Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo also came into the starting XI with Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield, Scott Wright and Cedric Itten all on the bench.
That means Rangers lined-up with Jon McLaughlin in goal and a back four of James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Filip Helander and Borna Barisic.
Glen Kamara returned to the midfield three alongside Steven Davis and John Lundstram, with Morelos supported upfront by Joe Aribo and Ryan Kent.
Dundee United, spurred on by their home support, tried to put pressure on Rangers from the off set with a couple of early set-pieces before Calum Butcher saw an effort held by Jon McLaughlin.
With seven minutes on the clock Rangers had their first sight of goal as Joe Aribo did well to work his way to the by-line before cutting the ball back to Alfredo Morelos but the striker’s shot was wide of the target, before Connor Goldson headed wide from a James Tavernier cross shortly after.
Ryan Kent picked out Alfredo Morelos at the back post with a good delivery in the 26th minute but his header was wide of the United goal. It was an open game at Tannadice, with the host’s threatening as Logan Chalmers delivered a ball into the box which was just out of reach of the waiting Peter Pawlett and Jon McLaughlin gathered.
Connor Goldson was booked for a foul on Peter Pawlett as the home side looked to break. Tam Court’s side were awarded a free-kick midway inside the Rangers half which Pawlett swung into the box with Charlie Mulgrew’s header pushed wide by Jon McLaughlin
With a few minutes left in the first-half, Charlie Mulgrew was booked for a foul on Alfredo Morelos as the Gers striker looked to turn through on goal and Rangers were awarded a free-kick. Captain James Tavernier stepped up to the set-piece but his shot was just over the target.
Early in the first-half John Lundstram and James Tavernier worked well down the right with the captain delivering a ball across the face of goal but it was held by Benjamin Siegrist.
Joe Aribo was again proving a threat for Rangers as he spun free of the Dundee United defender down the left-hand side before delivering an inviting cross into the box which was cleared for a corner by the home side before it could reach Alfredo Morelos.
The Light Blues were searching for that opening goal and a Borna Barisic corner was cleared by Dundee United but only as far as James Tavernier who drilled a powerful shot towards goal from outside the box which Siegrist managed to stretch to push the ball wide.
In the 64th minute Rangers were behind as the ball broke for Jamie Robson, and he fired a right-footed shot into the back of the net beyond Jon McLaughlin.
As Gers looked for a route back into this match, Scott Wright came on to add to the attacking options as he replaced John Lundstram.
With just under 20 minutes of the game remaining, James Tavernier swung a corner into the box which Connor Goldson got on the end of but his header was just inches wide of the target.
Gers now look ahead to Tuesday night’s UEFA Champion’s League qualifier against Malmö at Ibrox.
RANGERS: McLaughlin, Tavernier, Goldson, Helander, Barisic, Davis, Lundstram (Wright, 68), Kamara, Aribo, Kent (Itten, 78), Morelos (Defoe, 81).
SUBS: McGregor, Patterson, Simpson, Arfield.
DUNDEE UNITED: Siegrist, L. Smith, Mulgrew, Pawlett (Watson, 79), Clark, Chalmers (Sporle, 49), Edwards, Robson, Butcher, Harkes, Fuchs.
SUBS: Carson, Reynolds, Neilson, Freeman, Mochrie, Watson