Rangers go into Rangers vs ST Johnstone with 20 points from 9 league games, but their numbers still point to a side that is winning by narrow margins rather than pulling clear. They have scored only 13 league goals, the joint-fewest of any team in the top four, and five of their six league wins have come by one goal. ST Johnstone arrive with a record that should keep this from feeling routine.
Rangers' output at home
The main issue is not that Rangers are short of control. It is that they have not always turned it into a clean result. Their league position looks strong enough, second with 20 points, but the scoring return leaves room for concern when the margins are this thin.
That is why this fixture matters even with Rangers at home. Derek McInnes will want a sharper final ball and a more ruthless finish in front of goal, because a side with 13 league goals can keep winning and still leave itself exposed to any slip.
ST Johnstone's chance to make it awkward
ST Johnstone have 12 points from 9 league matches and sit fifth, which is a decent platform before any talk of an upset. Their away record is not overwhelming, but 4 points from 4 away fixtures shows they have been competitive enough on the road to make the trip to Ibrox uncomfortable.
Stephen Robinson will know the history is against them too, with St Johnstone failing to win in any of their last 12 visits to Ibrox. Even so, this is not the sort of away game Rangers can afford to approach as a formality. Aberdeen are still in the picture above them, and another one-goal grind would do little to quiet the doubts around how convincingly they are handling this title race.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
