Rangers

The hosts took the lead in the 34th minute, with Tom Lawrence whipping a delightful finish into the top-right corner after cutting inside from the left.

Hibs were handed a golden opportunity to equalise on the stroke of half-time, with John Souttar penalised for a handball following a VAR review, but Butland got down to make a brilliant save.

After the break, Cyriel Dessers was denied at point-blank range and Robin Propper twice failed to hit the target in quick succession, but Rangers' lone goal proved to be enough.

While Clement was frustrated by the penalty decision, he was quick to praise his goalkeeper's work as they held on to claim all three points.

"Jack's save was a massive moment," he told RangersTV. "I think Jack was happy as he has been less involved in the last few weeks - it's a good feeling to be important in those moments.

"For me, it wasn't clear why it was a penalty. We discussed these things before with the other managers and the referee department.

"The clean sheet is massive. We brought in Jefte, who is new, Nana Kasanwirjo has come in, and we have a new pairing at centre-backs with John and Robin Propper.

"It is not just defensively; we also have Connor Barron who is new in front of them. They haven't played together too long, but with the organisation, Jack hasn't had to make many saves.

"But when he did, he came up with a massive one and that is a top goalkeeper who keeps his concentration in the big moments."

Rangers came into this game on the back of a Europa League victory away to Malmo on Thursday.

While far from their best, Rangers still managed to claim a fourth consecutive victory in the Scottish Premiership without conceding for the first time since February 2022.

Clement admitted the quick turnaround affected his players' performances.

"The first half we played well, and we deserved the lead, although we could have scored more," he added.

"In the second half, it was more difficult, you could see the freshness going out of the legs of several players.

"We didn't get back to the training centre until 2am on Friday, and then we played at midday, so we had less freshness, so it was important to get the three points and another clean sheet."

The Moroccan opened the scoring just after half-time at a raucous Ibrox to give his side a deserved lead and make it five goals from as many games for the 22-year-old.

Igamane endured a slow start to life in Glasgow after joining in the previous transfer window but Rangers boss Clement hailed the effort and application he is showing to improve.

Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: "Nobody is undroppable only when they play like this every time, we need to see where his physical level is.

"But he's making major steps forward. A few months ago physically and tactically it was a long wait but he's one of the boys who has the hunger and desire to grow physically. 

"There's a lot of potential in this group to improve."

Dejan Kulusevski denied Rangers what would have been a famous win against a Spurs side managed by former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.

Clement believes it is a sign of the growing mentality within the ranks that he and his side were disappointed to only come away with a point against a side that has the riches of the Premier League behind them.

"That's what it's about to be at Rangers, it's about who I am," he added. "I want that mentality, also in my squad I saw they were also not satisfied with a point. 

"We need to keep this hunger and desire to be better. There is a lot of potential in this squad, it's about getting experiences like tonight.

"We need to decide things faster, be more aggressive, react faster. But they all did it, it's about keeping that hunger and desire."

One disappointment was the sight of centre-back John Souttar going off injured in the first half just a few days before the all Old Firm Scottish League Cup final with Celtic on Sunday.

Clement said of Souttar: "I don't know [how he is] for the moment, it's never a good thing when you need to step off in the first half, I don't know the situation."

Rangers endured a mixed start to the season but have now found some momentum, going nine unbeaten and winning four in a row before this impressive draw.

Clement is delighted to be taking that form into Sunday's Scottish League Cup final against Celtic.

"The synergy is back with the fans, they see the work the team is doing, see the way we want to play and impose ourselves also," he said.

"It's going to be a massive final on Sunday with Celtic, it's 50-50 with the supporters so everyone is happy with that."

Former Rangers midfielder Jason Holt turned into his own net just past the hour as that own goal handed Clement's side their first away win in the Scottish Premiership since September.

It capped an improved week for Clement, whose side thrashed Nice in the Europa League on Thursday to move a step closer to the knockout stages.

Speculation had also grown over the future of under-fire Clement, though the Belgian believes his team are on the right track.

"At the end, it's also crucial to not concede chances," said Clement in his post-match press conference. "We have for the second time in a row only one shot on target from the opponent.

"Last week it was a goal. Now not. And we need to continue in that way, keeping clean sheets and being defensively strong.

"I don't speak only about the defence, it's the whole team working hard for that. I see a lot of improvements with all the squad in what they are doing. It's now continuing all these things.

"What we talked about the last weeks and months. The mistakes we made to take it out of the game, you see it less and less, and then to grow like that.

"And then in the final third to sometimes have better positioning, to sometimes have better decision-making also. It's still a work in progress."

Victory moved Rangers 11 points behind leaders Celtic and seven behind second-placed Aberdeen, who were held to a 1-1 draw away at Hearts on Sunday.

Leighton Clarkson opened the scoring in the first half, only for Aberdeen captain Nicky Devlin to turn into his own net after the interval.

That result left Aberdeen without a win in their last three games, though manager Jimmy Thelin vowed to get his side back on course.

"You can see the players have the fight for each other," Thelin told BBC Scotland. "They're really trying. I liked their approach, that they run so much. They keep running.

"We also need to find the rhythm again, the dynamic of the team. We have the quality, we just need to find the rhythm of the game again.

"Sometimes when the dynamic is there, you lose the ball and the opponents get the momentum too easily. That's the part we have to improve, because we have done it.

"We've taken points away from Hibernian and Hearts this week, that's a tough week. We want to get to Pittodrie and try again."

Rangers stunned the Ligue 1 outfit with three first-half strikes as Vaclav Cerny, Mohamed Diomande and Hamza Igamane took advantage of some poor defending by the hosts. 

Igamane notched his second of the game nine minutes after the restart, with the hosts pulling a goal back in the 83rd minute courtesy of Badredine Bouanani's stunning free-kick. 

The result moved Rangers up to eighth in the 36-team standings, leapfrogging Tottenham into the automatic spots late on thanks to Mats Hummels' equaliser for Roma. 

They also scored four or more goals in an away major European game for just the eighth time, with this the first time they’d done so since a 4-2 win at Borussia Dortmund 2022.

"We did big performances in Bucharest and Malmo too but knowing the level of this this is probably the best performance of the season. The season is still young," Clement said. 

"Young squad, new players, many on the pitch today who have not been at the club for long. We have become stronger and stronger."

Clement showered praise on two-goal Igamane, who impressed on his first start in the competition with top scorer Cyriel Dessers dropped to the bench. 

The Moroccan grabbed the assist for Cerny's opener, while he also ended the contest with the most touches in the opposition box (eight) along with creating more chances (three) than any of his team-mates. 

"He came in with an injury and missed preparation. He doesn't have experience at this level," Clement added. 

"We're working hard with him to make him stronger but also technically doing the right things for the team.

"I saw the good things the last few weeks and that's why I gave him the chance today.

"It's my job to give chances and see what the player can bring but you never know with young players. You need characters, you can't be affected by the big occasion."

Rangers' attention now turns to the Scottish Premiership, aiming to bounce back from their 1-1 draw with Dundee United last time out. 

Clement's side find themselves third in the table, 11 points behind rivals Celtic, and the Rangers boss believes their win over Nice can be the catalyst for their domestic campaign.

 "We need to win. That's clear. We need to perform well on Sunday, but also on Wednesday and then at the weekend again.

"I don't want to see players in satisfaction mode, I want to see hungry players who want to be better and better."

Hamza Igamane thundered Rangers into a sixth-minute lead with the help of a deflection, before Jack Hamilton had his pocket picked by Danilo to put them two goals in front. 

Clement's side continued to dominate after the break but were kept on their toes by Akil Wright, who went close on two occasions with headers from close range. 

However, Rangers sealed the victory four minutes from time through captain James Tavernier, who rifled Cyriel Dessers cutback into the far left corner. 

And the visitors were deserving of their win, registering an expected goals (xG) of 1.53 from their 19 shots, compared to Ross County's measly 0.75 from their 10 attempts. 

Rangers have now won their last four matches in all competitions, scoring 14 goals while conceding just twice, to leave Clement impressed with his side's progression. 

"It's what I wanted to see but, of course, I'm very pleased because this is a really hard place to show that," Clement said. 

"I'm very pleased about our domination, about how we controlled the game, but with the intention to score more goals, how we kept our organisation, concentration and also not to become sloppy and to give things away and to keep a clean sheet and three goals at Ross County. It's a really huge performance."

"Our squad is starting to recognise what to do when. It's hard work. It's about getting experience together, getting connections between players together, communication on the pitch, the right timings."

Clement's side welcome Tottenham to Ibrox in the Europa League on Thursday, hoping to build on their 4-0 thrashing of Nice in their last game in the competition. 

Cyriel Dessers put the Gers ahead after just six minutes at Ibrox, diverting James Tavernier's effort past visiting goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

However, Clement's team failed to build on that quick start and inched over the line amid a tense atmosphere, moving back to within nine points of pacesetters Celtic and Aberdeen.

Speaking after the game, Clement acknowledged his players are fatigued after a gruelling run of fixtures but added they must start taking their chances.

"We made too many wrong choices with the ball and became too sloppy," Clement said. 

"It's the end of a very busy period, though, with a lot of travelling and they're all human beings, not robots.

"We missed scoring the second goal and we know that until you get that goal the other team stays in the game, so I want us to kill the belief of the opponent faster.

 "I'm very satisfied with the result and the deserved three points. We didn't show the same quality in the second half and we didn't finish off the game. We had a few chances, but it stays nervous until the last second."

Rangers host Dundee United after the international break, while Celtic visit Hearts and Aberdeen travel to St. Mirren.

The Gers right-back hooked in an impressively-executed strike from a Borna Barisic cross to settle Sunday’s Hampden showdown with Aberdeen in the 76th minute.

Tavernier has made a habit of popping up with huge goals since moving to Rangers from Wigan eight-and-a-half years ago, and fellow defender Goldson feels his colleague has become a colossal influence at Ibrox.

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“This football club won’t appreciate James Tavernier until James Tavernier’s not here,” said Goldson. “For a right-back to do the numbers he does… it’s not one season, it’s year after year after year.

“He started this season slow, I don’t think he scored many at the start but he’s on a hot streak now and long may it continue.

“The main thing about playing for this football club is adding numbers to the board. That board was there long before we were here and will be there a long time after, so to say you’ve had a part in adding numbers on to that is obviously huge.”

Sunday’s victory means long-serving Tavernier has now won each of the three major trophies in his time in Scotland after leading Gers to the Premiership title in 2021 and the Scottish Cup in 2022.

The goal-scorer savoured a perfect ending to a week in which the Ibrox side also sealed top spot in their Europa League group with a 3-2 victory away to Real Betis.

“It’s obviously long overdue but I’m really proud of the team,” Tavernier said of the Viaplay Cup success. “It was probably closer than it was expected to be but we knew if we limited their chances, we would create our own.

“I’m really happy to see this week out by topping the (Europa League) group and getting our hands on the first silverware this season.

“I’m delighted that all of us have managed to get our hands on the first silverware this season. That should give us real good momentum to build on.”

City rivals Celtic have lost their last two matches, allowing Rangers – who previously seemed out of contention – to haul themselves back into the title race.

The Gers are now within five points of the Hoops with two games in hand, the first of which comes at home to St Johnstone on Wednesday.

Tavernier refused to entertain talk of Celtic’s recent dip, preferring to keep the focus on his own team.

“There’s plenty points to play for,” he said. “We’ve just got to concentrate on ourselves and focus on knocking out the wins. It gets decided in May.

“We’ll try our hardest and see where it takes us. We’ve always got determination, no matter what. We play for a club that’s rich in history with trophies and we want to bring success to the club and our fans.”

Further matches have been postponed while others appear unable to go ahead due to increased travel restrictions between affected countries.

Governing bodies are also taking steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by cancelling planned meetings, while others are calling for further changes to the calendar.

Here are some of the latest events to be impacted.

Football's governing body has decided to cancel the next FIFA Congress in Addis Ababa on June 5. It has also pushed back the coming FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, due to be on March 20, until June or July. Attendees may be required to join via a video link.

In France, the Coupe de la Ligue final on April 4 between Paris Saint-Germain and Lyon has been postponed. The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said a new date would be announced in due course. It means the PSG-Metz and Lyon-Nimes Ligue 1 matches will be moved to the weekend of April 4-5 but be held behind closed doors. PSG will have Kylian Mbappe available against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, though: the striker is in the squad after overcoming illness, with L'Equipe among those to report he had tested negative for coronavirus.

Germany has seen the first confirmed instance of a footballer contracting coronavirus. Hannover defender Timo Hubers has tested positive but been praised by the club for his "absolutely exemplary" behaviour, as he immediately self-isolated before coming into contact with the rest of the squad.

Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich will face Union Berlin on Saturday behind closed doors, and the latter's derby with Hertha Berlin on March 21 will take place under the same circumstances. Borussia Monchengladbach have urged fans not to gather outside the stadium ahead of Wednesday's match with Cologne.

FIFPro, the footballers' union, has urged governing bodies across the world "to respect the wishes of players to take short-term precautionary measures including suspending training or competitions". Steps are certainly being taken in Spain, where the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has recommended football at all levels beneath the top two professional leagues to be called off for two weeks. The RFEF will reportedly meet with league officials to discuss similar proposals for LaLiga and the Segunda Division.

Meanwhile, Roma's match with Sevilla in the Europa League last 16 on Thursday is off after the Italian club confirmed they had not been given permission by the government to fly to Andalusia. Getafe had already refused to travel for their game with Inter in Italy.

The big news in Englandwas that Manchester City versus Arsenal was called off as a precaution after the Gunners came into contact with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who announced on Tuesday that he had caught the disease. In general, though, the UKhas not been following the same stringent protocols as some other European nations and that is continuing for now. Arsenal's match with Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday has not been called off, while England's planned friendlies at Wembley this month against Italy and Denmark are, at present, going ahead. Forest have also confirmed all players and staff have tested negative for coronavirus.

In Scotland, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard says the domestic season must be completed, even if behind closed doors, "because people have earned the opportunity to get to the stage where everyone is at". League chief executive Neil Doncaster claimed last week that completing the Premiership season could become "very difficult".

The England and Wales Cricket Board has told supporters "to maintain good levels of hygiene" during England's tour of Sri Lanka. As a precaution, players and staff have been told to avoid casual interaction with fans, such as selfies and autographs.

In Bangladesh, the World XI v Asia XI matches that would have marked the birthday celebrations of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman have been postponed, while the Indian Open has been called off following a consultation between the Indian Golf Union, the European Tour, the Asian Tour and tournament sponsors.

MotoGP has also announced that the ArgentinaGrand Prix has been moved to November. The opening race of the season in Qatar and the Grand Prix of the Americas have already been rescheduled.

The Championship, League One and League Two tables have been declared final after 81 per cent of the country's 42 senior clubs backed the Scottish Professional Football League's (SPFL) plans.

Many of those teams feared for their futures without end-of-season payments, although a final call is yet to be made in the top-flight Premiership, where Gerrard's Rangers are 13 points behind rivals Celtic at the summit but could still mathematically win the league.

Speaking to talkSPORT, the Liverpool great said he felt the process in Scotland compared unfavourably with efforts to restart the season in England amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"For myself – and I think everyone at Rangers was on the same page – what we wanted was to give it the best chance we can," he said.

"There was a different view from the Premier League and the EFL that they wanted to wait and give this season every single chance to be played.

"We all know and respect the fact that there might become a stage where that is impossible to happen. But there seemed to be an almighty rush from where we were to finish it and get the boats in as soon as possible. That didn't sit well at all.

"At Rangers we want to get back playing and get the season done when it's physically safe to do that, with all respect to the situation that we're in.

"Across Scotland, top to bottom, there was so much football to be played. Now, of course, I'm always going to be biased because I'm the Rangers manager and there's a 13-point gap, but I want to put as much pressure on to the end.

"In other leagues, so many clubs had so much to play for and we felt there was a rush to finish it instead of giving it the best chances to be finished."

Despite progressing to the last 16 of the Europa League, where they lost 3-1 to Bayer Leverkusen at Ibrox in their final match before lockdown, Rangers' league form collapsed in February.

That allowed Celtic to storm towards a ninth consecutive title and Gerrard concedes there is room for improvement.

“We came extremely close to success this year in the League Cup, we have had success in the Europa League but the league has been disappointing," he added.

"It is my job to come up with answers and solutions as quick as we can to hopefully finish this season as strong as we can and then move on to next."

The Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) announced the 2019-20 campaign could not be completed due to the coronavirus pandemic following consultation with all 12 top-flight clubs.

Celtic retain their title after the final standings were calculated on a points-per-game basis, just as the Championship, League One and League Two tables were.

Neil Lennon's side were 13 points clear of arch-rivals Rangers, who had a game in hand, with eight matches to play when the season was halted in March amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Hearts drop into the Championship, having been four points adrift of second-bottom Hamilton Academical. Dundee United were previously crowned champions of the second tier.

Glasgow giants Celtic can celebrate being crowned champions of Scotland nine times in a row for a second time, having also achieved the feat under Jock Stein in the 1973-74 season.

SPFL chairman Murdoch MacLennan said: "Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to officially congratulate Celtic on their achievement of winning the Premiership this season, and also to sincerely commiserate with Hearts on their relegation.

"We would all have rather seen the league season played out on pitches, in stadiums and in front of supporters.

"This is not the way anybody involved with Scottish football would have wanted to conclude the league season but, given the grave and unprecedented circumstances that we are facing, the board has agreed that it is the only practical way forward.

"COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on sporting competitions around the world and the repercussions will be felt for a long time.

"Scottish government restrictions and deep concerns for both player and spectator safety left the SPFL with no realistic option but to call the Premiership now and we thank the Premiership clubs for their support on this decision."

The enigmatic Gers striker slid in the opener after five minutes and then sealed the victory in the 78th minute for a 2-0 win, leaving the Tynecastle club still searching for their first win over the Ibrox side at Hampden Park.

For the most part, it was a far from sparkling performance from Philippe Clement’s side who have gone off the boil in recent weeks.

Nevertheless, Rangers will meet Celtic in the May 25 final at the national stadium by which time we will know which of the Old Firm clubs have won their cinch Premiership title race, which the Hoops are leading by three points with five fixtures remaining.

Both sides had a lot to live up to after Saturday’s epic semi-final between Celtic and Aberdeen which the Hoops won 6-5 on penalties after a 3-3 draw but in the event it had less excitement and less quality.

The Jambos had lost four times to Rangers this season, once in the Viaplay Cup semi-final at the national stadium, and had not beaten the Light Blues in their last 17 attempts.

The statistics – but not Rangers’ recent form – pointed to another Gers victory.

The Ibrox side went into the game with just two wins in eight in all competitions and the pressure was on Clement and his players.

The Belgian boss boldly omitted Connor Goldson, who had played in 48 of Rangers’ 52 games this season, with Leon Balogun, Mohamed Diomande, Rabbi Matondo and Dessers returning.

Hearts, sitting in third place in the league with one defeat in seven, showed three changes with Stephen Kingsley, Alan Forrest and Kenneth Vargas starting.

Dessers missed the first chance in the third minute when he knocked a cross from Abdallah Sima over the bar as Tynecastle defender Frankie Kent challenged.

However, when Gers midfielder Todd Cantwell set him up inside the Gorgie box he confidently dragged the ball to his left past Nathaniel Atkinson and steered it low past veteran Jambos keeper Craig Gordon for his 18th of the season.

The goal settled the Ibrox men but they suffered a blow after just 15 minutes when winger Ross McCausland replaced the injured Sima.

The change seemed to disrupt Rangers and keeper Jack Butland had to make terrific saves from Forrest and Kent in quick succession, although Kent appeared offside at his close-range effort.

The Gorgie side began to exert more control towards the interval, pushing Rangers backwards and in the 51st minute Vargas robbed hesitating Gers defender John Souttar on the touchline and drove into the box but there were enough Light Blue jerseys back to defend.

The Edinburgh side were in control.

Hearts brought on Dexter Lembikisa, Barrie McKay and Yutaro Oda for Forrest, Jorge Grant and Atkinson just on the hour mark before Fabio Silva took over from the ineffective Matondo, before Dessers could not set himself for a shot after taking a Cantwell pass 10 yards from goal.

In the 73rd minute Hearts skipper Lawrence Shankland hit the side-netting with a header as the Tynecastle men piled forward.

However, in a swift Gers attack, Dessers settled the tie.

A powerful run by Cantwell had the Gorgie defence backpedalling and when he laid the ball off to the Gers striker his first shot was blocked by Gordon but he made no mistake when collecting the rebound.

With two minutes remaining Dessers set up Silva for a tap-in but the Portuguese attacker somehow managed to fall over the ball six yards out  before Butland made a fantastic save to ensure there were no late Rangers nerves, with time for Dessers to miss another opportunity on the break.

Philippe Clement's side are now five points behind second-placed Aberdeen and league leaders Celtic, who inflicted their first defeat of the season last time out.

The match itself was one of few chances, with forward Tom Lawrence scoring the winning goal after just seven minutes.

The goal capped a flowing, attacking move from Rangers that saw Lawrence get on the end of some one-touch passing before carrying the ball through the penalty area and beyond the goalkeeper.

Dundee United were unable to offer much in the way of a comeback, with five off-target shots the sum total of their threat throughout the match.

The match did see 10 yellow cards shown, with Dundee United's Emmanuel Adegboyega's booking for a forceful challenge reviewed by VAR towards the end of the first half. The on-field decision stood, though the defender was substituted at the break.

Data Debrief: Rangers end away day woes

Goalscorer Lawrence had five shots in the match, which is a season-high in the league for any Rangers player.

The visitors will be pleased to get three points, having won just one of their previous seven away games prior to this - their worst run since 2016.

It also means they close some of the gap to Old Firm rivals Celtic, who had opened an eight-point buffer following a 2-0 home win over Hearts on Saturday.

The hosts, meanwhile, failed to register a single effort on target for the first time in a league game since 8 May 2022. Their opponents on that day? Rangers.

The Hoops’ 1-1 draw at Aberdeen at lunchtime had the early arrivals at Ibrox cheering the news before kick-off although it took some time before the visitors succumbed to the pressure.

The road to an expected home win began when the 21-year-old Portuguese striker, who arrived on loan from Wolves last month, prised open the Livi defence in the 40th minute before winger Rabbi Matondo added a second in first-half added time.

Liv, without a win in 15 previous league games, had no response and Gers midfielder Todd Cantwell knocked in a third in the 56th minute and it could have been more as Philippe Clement’s side moved three points behind leaders Celtic with a game in hand.

The Belgian boss, mindful of a busy spell of fixtures coming up, reshuffled his pack from last week’s win at St Mirren, making six changes

Borna Barisic, Leon Balogun, Ryan Jack, Ross McCausland, Silva and Matondo came in, with Ridvan Yilmaz, John Souttar, Nicolas Raskin, Dujon Sterling, Scott Wright and Cyriel Dessers dropping out with new signing, Colombian winger Oscar Cortes, starting on the bench.

David Carson was handed his debut for the visitors after signing from Inverness with goalkeeper Shamal George, Shaun Donnellan and Mo Sangare reinstated for what proved to be a tough afternoon.

George palmed away a powerful drive from Jack and then clawed away a goal-bound corner from Gers skipper James Tavernier as Rangers pressed from referee John Beaton’s first whistle.

In the 14th minute Livi survived a melee yards from goal after George had fumbled a Barisic cross before Balogun had to be replaced by Souttar six minutes later after sustaining a head knock.

The sound of impatient grumbling from the stands grew louder before the Light Blues broke the deadlock.

Matondo’s powerful strike was brilliantly tipped over the bar by George but from the resultant Barisic corner, hooked back towards goal by Connor Goldson, the ball fell to Silva and his deflected strike from eight yards found the net – the goal standing after a VAR check for a possible foul in the busy penalty area.

When Matondo’s long-distance effort after stepping inside on to his right foot clipped Jamie Brandon and sped past George in the second of four added minutes, the points were secure.

Livi had twice come from behind to draw with second-bottom Ross County on Tuesday night but their attacking threat against Rangers was all-but absent.

Cantwell confidently turned a Ross McCausland cut-back past the helpless George from 12 yards for his fourth goal in seven games.

Gers fans got the chance to see 20-year-old Cortes, on loan from Lens, when he came on in the 60th minute along with fellow substitutes Tom Lawrence and Yilmaz.

George twice denied McCausland and Silva’s hitch-kick from 10 yards went inches past the post as Rangers attacked incessantly to increase their lead.

Dessers, on for Silva, flashed a shot high over the bar with 10 minutes remaining and Yilmaz cracked the bar with an effort from the edge of the box but Rangers had to settle for three goals.

Notwithstanding the calibre of opposition, it was another commanding win for the Light Blues who now have Celtic in their sights.

Midfielder Mohamed Diomande fired the home side ahead with just over a minute played and wide-man Oscar Cortes doubled that lead after 37 minutes with his first goal as a Light Blues player, with striker Cyriel Dessers adding a third and fourth just before and after the break.

Philippe Clement’s side kept pushing and substitute Fabio Silva scored a fifth just after the hour mark with Rangers’ biggest home win of the season piling pressure on Celtic, who take on Motherwell at Fir Park on Sunday knowing there is no room for error.

The Ibrox side, who were paired with Benfica in the Europa League last-16 draw on Friday, were high on confidence after winning their previous nine matches.

However, they were without injured Todd Cantwell with Tom Lawrence one of four changes along with Ridvan Yilmaz, Dujon Sterling and Dessers. Kemar Roofe was back on the bench after two months out and would make a late appearance.

Hearts had reason to believe they could cause an upset despite three defeats out of three against the Govan side this season.

Steven Naismith’s men were unbeaten in 12 matches in all competitions and captain Lawrence Shankland led the league goalscoring charts with 18 goals in 26 counters for club and country so far this season.

However, the Tynecastle outfit, who had Nathaniel Atkinson, Jorge Grant and Kenneth Vargas back in the side, were stunned by the loss of the early goal.

Hearts were in their shape when 20-year-old Cortes came in from the left and set up Diomande but he sized up the shot from 20 yards and drilled the ball low past Gorgie keeper Zander Clark, his second Rangers goal after scoring his first last week against St Johnstone.

The football was frantic.

A lung-bursting run by Dessers ended up with his shot saved by Clark, who made an even better save from skipper James Tavernier’s powerful drive moments later.

Dessers should have had the ball in the net in the 18th minute after Clark had parried a long-distance drive from Yilmaz but the Jambos keeper saved his header and then his shot, although the offside flag was up.

The Gers striker then headed a Yilmaz cross past the post with only Clark to beat.

Just as Hearts worked their way back into the game, they conceded a second with Lawrence taking a Sterling pass and motoring forward before squaring for Cortes and he curled the ball low past the diving Clark, who was soon picking the ball out of his net again when Dessers side-footed a John Souttar cross past him.

The Jambos defence failed to deal with Sterling’s cross into the box early in the second half and Dessers lashed the ball into the net from close range, the goal surviving a VAR check for handball.

Silva and Ross McCausland replaced Lawrence and Sterling before Tavernier’s cut-back across the six-yard box evaded the sliding Dessers.

But there was no respite for the visitors.

In the 65th minute, midfielder John Lundstram slid in Silva and his angled-drive beat Clark and found the far corner.

The distressed Gorgie side kept on going.

Gers keeper Jack Butland was beaten by a Shankland header but the ball rebounded off the post and Rangers escaped, with Butland making a decent save from Grant’s 25-yard free-kick and substitute Kyosuke Tagawa’s curling strike.

However, another clean sheet was registered by the home side and they will travel to Kilmarnock on Wednesday with increasing title belief.

The Jambos needed a win for their bid for third place in the cinch Premiership and skipper Lawrence Shankland sensationally opened the scoring after less than a minute.

It took until added time in the first half for Rangers midfielder Todd Cantwell to level.

Attacker Fashion Sakala put Rangers ahead in the 47th minute but in the final seconds of three added minutes Kuol took advantage of some slackness to fire in the equaliser.

Michael Beale’s side are unbeaten in 19 home league games, with 16 victories and three draws, which is a positive.

But with Aberdeen dismissing St Mirren at Pittodrie, Hearts cannot catch the Dons, who will finish best of the rest outside the Old Firm.

Rangers, who will be runners-up behind Celtic, finish their season with a trip to St Mirren on Saturday but already planning is under way for next season.

The Light Blues announced before the game that 25-year-old midfielder Kieran Dowell would be joining the club from Norwich.

The club also asked fans to stay behind to pay tribute to Allan McGregor, Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield and Filip Helander, all of whom will leave in the summer.

McGregor and Morelos started the game but ideas that it would be simply a sentimental night of reflection ended within seconds, following a long throw into the Rangers penalty area from Hearts defender James Hill.

Jambos midfielder Peter Haring helped it on, Rangers skipper James Tavernier tried to clear but only to Shankland whose header hit team-mate Josh Ginnelly and fell back to him to bundle over the line from two yards.

After a long VAR check referee John Beaton pointed to the centre circle and Hearts were officially in front.

Minutes later Haring sent Ginnelly through and his drive after turning defender Leon King was beaten away by McGregor.

It was not the start the home fans expected and the Rangers reaction was hesitant.

Hearts keeper Zander Clark had to deal with King’s long-range drive which deflected off Hill and Nicolas Raskin’s thunderbolt from distance before tipping a Sakala drive on to the post and behind.

Jambos interim boss Steven Naismith, a former Rangers striker, was booked for throwing on a ball to waste time just before the interval but there was time for Cantwell to get the break of the ball off Hill to run through and confidently slot the ball past Clark, with Morelos carrying on a feud with Naismith that had lasted a few minutes.

Two minutes after the restart Sakala took advantage of a slack header by defender Toby Sibbick at the edge of the box to squeeze the ball past Clark with the backtracking Hill unable to keep it out.

In the 64th minute Arfield got a huge cheer from the home fans when he came on as substitute along with Rabbi Matondo, with Glen Kamara and King making way.

Arfield’s curling shot from the edge of the box in the 73rd minute was pushed behind by Clark and the visitors survived the corner, albeit they seemed to be running out of belief.

Arfield had a shot from six yards blocked by Clark before Cantwell fired the rebound wide of the target.

Morelos got his acclaim when he was replaced by Scott Wright and the home side spurned more opportunities as the game fizzled out, only for Kuol, on for Alan Forrest in the 83rd minute, to pounce at the end to spoil the going away party.

The Jambos needed a win for their bid for third place in the cinch Premiership and skipper Lawrence Shankland sensationally opened the scoring after less than a minute.

It took until added time in the first half for Rangers midfielder Todd Cantwell to level.

Attacker Fashion Sakala put Rangers ahead in the 47th minute but in the final seconds of three added minutes Kuol took advantage of some slackness to fire in the equaliser.

Michael Beale’s side are unbeaten in 19 home league games, with 16 victories and three draws, which is a positive.

But with Aberdeen dismissing St Mirren at Pittodrie, Hearts cannot catch the Dons, who will finish best of the rest outside the Old Firm.

Rangers, who will be runners-up behind Celtic, finish their season with a trip to St Mirren on Saturday but already planning is under way for next season.

The Light Blues announced before the game that 25-year-old midfielder Kieran Dowell would be joining the club from Norwich.

The club also asked fans to stay behind to pay tribute to Allan McGregor, Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield and Filip Helander, all of whom will leave in the summer.

McGregor and Morelos started the game but ideas that it would be simply a sentimental night of reflection ended within seconds, following a long throw into the Rangers penalty area from Hearts defender James Hill.

Jambos midfielder Peter Haring helped it on, Rangers skipper James Tavernier tried to clear but only to Shankland whose header hit team-mate Josh Ginnelly and fell back to him to bundle over the line from two yards.

After a long VAR check referee John Beaton pointed to the centre circle and Hearts were officially in front.

Minutes later Haring sent Ginnelly through and his drive after turning defender Leon King was beaten away by McGregor.

It was not the start the home fans expected and the Rangers reaction was hesitant.

Hearts keeper Zander Clark had to deal with King’s long-range drive which deflected off Hill and Nicolas Raskin’s thunderbolt from distance before tipping a Sakala drive on to the post and behind.

Jambos interim boss Steven Naismith, a former Rangers striker, was booked for throwing on a ball to waste time just before the interval but there was time for Cantwell to get the break of the ball off Hill to run through and confidently slot the ball past Clark, with Morelos carrying on a feud with Naismith that had lasted a few minutes.

Two minutes after the restart Sakala took advantage of a slack header by defender Toby Sibbick at the edge of the box to squeeze the ball past Clark with the backtracking Hill unable to keep it out.

In the 64th minute Arfield got a huge cheer from the home fans when he came on as substitute along with Rabbi Matondo, with Glen Kamara and King making way.

Arfield’s curling shot from the edge of the box in the 73rd minute was pushed behind by Clark and the visitors survived the corner, albeit they seemed to be running out of belief.

Arfield had a shot from six yards blocked by Clark before Cantwell fired the rebound wide of the target.

Morelos got his acclaim when he was replaced by Scott Wright and the home side spurned more opportunities as the game fizzled out, only for Kuol, on for Alan Forrest in the 83rd minute, to pounce at the end to spoil the going away party.

Connery – best known for his role as fictional British secret agent James Bond in the iconic film series between 1962 and 1983 – died aged 90 on Saturday.

The Scotsman was also a Rangers supporter, while previously serving as a member of the board at Ibrox.

Gattuso – a Champions League and Serie A winner with Milan and World Cup champion with Italy – spent a year playing for Rangers before returning to his homeland via Salernitana in 1998.

Asked about Connery following Napoli's 2-0 loss to Sassuolo on Sunday, Gattuso told reporters: "I only met him once, the president back then was David Murray, he was a member of the board.

"It's true, we spoke on an evening and he absolutely didn't want [me to leave]. What can I say?

"A very big hug to his entire family, the people who represent him, surely I've got beautiful memories of him, very fascinating, great man, he made history in cinema."

Napoli were upstaged by high-flying Sassuolo, who stayed second and within two points of unbeaten leaders Milan.

Manuel Locatelli and Maxime Lopez scored in the second half to leave Gattuso's Napoli fifth and five points off the pace.

Locatelli converted a 59th-minute penalty to become the youngest Italian with two or more goals in Serie A this season, and the youngest player with a penalty goal in the competition this term.

Sassuolo have collected 14 points from their first six games in Serie A – a record for the club after their first six matchdays in a single top-flight season.

"We mustn't listen to people talking about the Scudetto," said Gattuso, whose Napoli edged Real Sociedad in Europa League action on Thursday. "We'll try to get into the top four. It's a very strong league this season, every team is smart, they change their shape, and it is really difficult to find a way through.

"I see my Napoli team. We're not as sharp as we were before, but with a game every two, three days, that's only to be expected."

The 22-year-old Jamaica international is expected to play a key role when the in-form German outfit takes on Scottish club Rangers, at Leverkusen's Bay Arena.  The match will, however, be missing a key element as it will be played behind closed doors, becoming a part of Europe's struggles to arrest the spread of the coronavirus.

With over 1000 people having tested positive for the coronavirus in the country, the German Football League (DFL) decided to close games on a case by case basis.  The trend has already strongly taken root across Europe with many leagues opting for fan free matches.  It has already been confirmed that the second leg of the tie, in Scotland, will also be played behind closed doors.

“It affects us because football is for the fans.  Playing behind closed doors is always a different type of feeling,” Bailey told BBC Sports Scotland.

“But I mean we also have to think about the safety of others, and we have to do what we have to do,” he added.

“Our health come first.  Without health, there is no life.”

Werner, making just his eighth start in all competitions for Tottenham this season, was replaced at half-time by Dejan Kulusevski after a dismal first 45 minutes at Ibrox. 

While the German had the joint-most touches in the opposition box (four) of any Spurs player at full-time, his overall play saw his side struggle in the final third. 

Werner lost possession 16 times, with only Pedro Porro (20), who played the full 90 minutes, doing so on more occasions against Philippe Clement's side. 

He also failed to complete any of his three dribbles and did not win any of his five duels, while also managing to complete just 18 of his 26 passes, an accuracy of just 69.2%. 

Kulusevski, Werner's replacement, went on to score the equaliser for Spurs, cancelling out Hamza Igamane's opener two minutes after the break. 

"When you've got 18-year-olds, it's not acceptable to me," Postecoglou said shortly after the draw at Ibrox. "I said that to Timo, he's a German international."

Werner, who is on loan from RB Leipzig, has struggled for form this term, managing just one goal and three assists in 19 appearances in all competitions.

Postecoglou is also without forwards Richarlison and Wilson Odobert, and he said despite his display, his lack of options means he may start on Sunday against Southampton.

"In the moment we're in right now - it's not like we've got many options, I need everyone to at least be going out there and trying to give the best of themselves.

"His performance in the first half wasn't acceptable.

"We need everybody, including him, to be contributing because we don't have the depth to leave people out if they perform poorly.”

Thursday's draw leaves Spurs outside the top eight in the Europa League table on goal difference with two games remaining against Hoffenheim and Elfsborg. 

Postecoglou's side have also now won just one of their last eight games in all competitions (D3 L4), and are winless in their last five (D3 L2).

The 22-year-old Wales international has been a bit-part player at the Govan club since signing from Schalke in July, 2022.

However, early-season signs of a step-up in impact have been encouraging, none more so than when he came off the bench at Ibrox on Tuesday night with the first leg tied at 1-1, after a strike by Ibrahim Sangare had cancelled out a late first-half goal from Gers attacker Abdallah Sima.

Light Blues midfielder Todd Cantwell began the move which ended with Matondo, drafted into the European squad at the expense of Ianis Hagi, steering in a Cyriel Dessers pass for his first Rangers goal, and although PSV captain Luuk de Jong levelled with a header four minutes later, there is all to play for in the second leg in the Netherlands next Wednesday night.

Goalkeeper Butland, one of nine summer signings by Michael Beale when he was recruited from Crystal Palace, said:  “I’ve only known Rabbi this season.

“He’s a hell of a character around the place. He’s full of energy – you really wish he would be quiet sometimes, he’s that sort of character but he brings a lot of energy to the building.

“I’m sure it’s been tough for him, he’s been waiting a long time for his first goal.

“He trains well, he works hard. As I said he’s a great guy around the group and in a few games already this season he’s come on and made some huge impacts for us and hopefully that’s a sign of things to come. So really pleased for him.

“He was top drawer, a great goal, a great team goal on the break there and finished well by him. The lads are all buzzing for him.”

Butland, capped nine times for England, was impressed by a passionate and pulsating European night at Ibrox and he hopes Rangers finish the tie off in the second leg.

The 30-year-old said: “It was pretty special, some atmosphere. Perhaps a little bit disappointed with the result at the end but a really good performance, good value for it and it gives us something to go to Eindhoven with next week and get the job done.

“We’ve played against a top side and we have put ourselves in a really good position for next week.

“It’s a two-legged tie. A positive night, really enjoyed it and looking forward to next Wednesday.”

While PSV have the weekend off before the second leg, Rangers will be at Ross County on Saturday in the cinch Premiership.

However, Butland said: “It’s about momentum. I have never not wanted to have a busy schedule. For us, it’s another game.

“It’s another opportunity to go and win and build momentum and that’s what it’s all about. So for us I’d rather actually go into next Wednesday with a game in between.”