RANGERS slipped up again on the road as they were held to a 2-2 draw by St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park.
Callum Hendry put the home side in front early on before Florian Kamberi drew Rangers level not long after appearing as a half-time substitute.
Joe Aribo then gave the visitors the lead only for Stevie May to then equalise for Saints. Rangers pushed forward again looking for a winner but failed to greatly trouble Zander Clark in the home goal in the closing stages.
Here are five other things we learned from the game in Perth:
TITLE RACE OVER?
If it wasn’t already, then Rangers’ championship challenge has surely crumbled now. Entering that point of the season where there is no margin for error, this was a game Steven Gerrard’s side simply had to win.
They looked to have the result in their grasp as they forged in front with just 20 minutes of the contest remaining but couldn’t then see it out.
With only 11 league games left, time is running out if Rangers are to prevent Celtic from making it nine titles in a row. This week’s Europa League and Scottish Cup ties now take on extra significance for the Ibrox side.
TRAVEL SICKNESS
Rangers at least arrested a run of two successive away league defeats but this was a draw that must have felt like another loss.
Even with their own supporters packed into three sides of the stadium, the Ibrox side again failed to adapt and cope with the surroundings.
Being able to grind out victories when up against it on the road used to be one of Rangers’ most admirable traits but they have lost their way on that front since the winter break.
Their remaining two away league games before the split ought to be winnable against Ross County and St Mirren but they won’t approach either with overflowing confidence.
FORWARD THINKING
Might there be a case for Florian Kamberi starting in Braga in midweek? With Alfredo Morelos suspended for the second leg of the Europa League tie, Gerrard needs an alternative in attack.
Jermain Defoe is thought to be close to returning from the calf injury that has kept him out for the best part of a month and Rangers could be doing with him. In his continue absence, though, it was Kamberi who got the nod off the bench at half-time and made a real difference with his first goal for the club to draw Rangers level, before setting up Joe Aribo for the second.
With Defoe lacking fitness and Greg Stewart still on the periphery of things, Kamberi looks the best option against the Portuguese, with Rangers probably needing to score at least once if they are to have any chance of progressing to the last 16.
PITCH IMPERFECT
Like many surfaces up and down the country at this time of year, the McDiarmid Park pitch looked like it had seen better days with more mud than grass in places. The bobbly surface didn’t make life easy for either side, although both to their credit continued to try to play a passing game along the ground.
Introducing summer football won’t solve everything – you never know when it might snow in this country – but switching seasons would at least give our pitches a rest during the winter months when the weather is traditionally at its worst.
SAINTS GO MARCHING ON
St Johnstone haven’t lost a league match this season when they have gone in front and they extended that record here.
It is hard to believe this was a team in dire relegation trouble not so long ago. This result stretches their undefeated run to six games and sees them closing in on a place in the top half of the table. Celtic will not relish heading to McDiarmid Park next Sunday for what ought to be an intriguing Scottish Cup quarter-final tie.
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