AFTER falling behind early-on, Rangers produced a fabulous performance of super football and terrific goals to crush Motherwell 6-1 in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon.
Fashion Jr netted a wonderful hat-trick while James Tavernier, Glen Kamara and Kemar Roofe were also on-target in the rout.
Boss Gerrard named four changes for this afternoon’s match - from the team which faced Aberdeen in midweek, Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield, Steven Davis and Fashion Jr came into the side in place of Jon McLaughlin, John Lundstram, Kemar Roofe and Ianis Hagi.
That meant it was a back five of McGregor in goal with James Tavernier, Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun and Calvin Bassey in front of him.
Arfield, Davis and Glen Kamara were in midfield, while Joe Aribo, Fashion Jr and Alfredo Morelos were up front.
Gers started on the front foot, and Tavernier saw a 25-yard effort well-held by Liam Kelly inside three minutes on what was an exceptionally wet day in North Lanarkshire.
Under pressure, Aribo headed wide as Fashion Jr was able to cut it back to him from a Tavernier cross, while Kamara had a shot go just wide.
But on 13 minutes, against the run of play, Motherwell took the lead. Gers conceded a cheap corner, which Sondre Solholm Johnson initially had a free-header on. McGregor saved well from him, but the ball fell for the unmarked Bevis Mugabi at the back post to fire home.
Gers responded well, and Kelly saved again from Aribo when he danced his way into the area before getting a shot away, albeit Tony Watt came close to a second at the other end.
Kelly then denied Morelos who had a fierce drive from distance, before the Colombian headed over on the end of a Tavernier corner.
The goal was definitely coming, and on 43 minutes, it arrived courtesy of birthday boy James Tavernier, who was celebrating is 30th today.
Gers passing and movement was good all half, and when the ball reached Calvin Bassey on the left, he picked out the incoming skipper as he entered the box, and on the half-volley, he sensationally drilled the ball beyond Kelly for the equaliser.
It was no more than Gers deserved, and in a carbon copy of last weekend at St Mirren, they grabbed another just afterwards.
The captain really was showing exactly what he was about, and he charged forward down the right on the end of a super Kamara pick.
Clearly buoyed by his goal, his ball into the box was of the highest quality, and bullying his way onto the end of cross to get in front of Mugabi with a classic header was Fashion Jr, netting yet another goal against the Steelmen.
It was just fabulous stuff from Rangers, but in truth, it was in no way surprising as yet again they stood up to be counted when up against it.
Gers started the second half on top once more, and Bassey had an effort deflected behind on the end of a Tavernier cross.
All the play and all the possession was going the way of the Light Blues, and on 63 minutes, they netted a third.
Fashion Jr picked up outside the area and drove for goal from 25-yards, and with the aid of a deflection, his strike wrong-footed Kelly and found the back of the net.
It was the cushion Gers were looking for, and they were handed a further advantage in the 67th minute as Stephen O’Donnell was shown a second yellow card for scything down Bassey as he tried to enter the penalty area.
The control the Light Blues had over the game was terrific, and on 75 minutes, they scored a fourth through Glen Kamara’s first of the season.
Tavernier and Davis worked a nice short corner out on the left and found Kamara 20-yards from goal – he took on the shot, and it looked like it took another deflection as it found the bottom corner – not, of course, that anyone of a Rangers persuasion was too fussed about that.
And they weren’t done there, as Fashion Jr rounded-off is sensational hat-trick on 85 minutes. On the edge of the area, Steven Davis picked out the most phenomenal ball for Sakala to win at the back post, and he shot across goal and found the net off the inside of the near post for number five.
Kelly denied Scott Wright with a super save in the 90th minute to prevent a sixth, but from the resulting corner, number six did arrive, Connor Goldson winning the ball from the Tavernier corner and poacher-in-chief Kemar Roofe finishing at the back post.
Gers now head to Copenhagen to take on Brondby in the Europa League in phenomenal fettle off the back of this sensational showing this afternoon.
RANGERS: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Balogun (Simpson, 78), Bassey, Arfield, Davis, Kamara, Aribo (Wright, 82), Fashion Jr, Morelos (Roofe, 72)
SUBS NOT USED: McLaughlin, Lundstram, Hagi, Patterson.
MOTHERWELL: Kelly, O’Donnell, Mugabi, O’Hara, Slattery, McGinley, Solholm, Goss, Roberts (Lamie, 72), Shields (Van Veen, 65), Watt.
SUBS NOT USED: Fox, Carroll, Maguire, Woolery, Grimshaw.
REFEREE: Nick Walsh
ATTENDANCE: 7740
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