Rangers vs St Johnstone

It's all about keeping the pressure on Celtic for Rangers while St Johnstone are hoping to halt a run of six games without a win.

Following a VAR check the yellow card shown to Ryan Jack remains. Interesting that Willie Collum went over to the screen then went with his original decison. Ryan Jack lunges in on Adam Montgomery and instantly receives a yellow card. Into the final minute of six minutes injury time at Ibrox. Not the response Dons manager Jim Goodwin would have expected! Todd Cantwell comes close to opening his Rangers account but he can't quite direct his shot on target. Malik Tillman has won a free-kick which is taken by James Tavernier. [St Johnstone](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/st-johnstone-fc) had to play 50 minutes with ten men after Nicky Clark was shown red for a late tackle on Ryan Jack. Rangers 1 St Johnstone 0 [Michael Beale](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/michael-beale) and made it seven wins from eight through James Tavernier's perfect penalty and Glen Kamara's well placed strike either side of half-time. Rangers 2 St Johnstone 0 Fashion Sakala is inches away from rounding off the scoring but his effort deflects off a St Johnstone defending and hits the side netting.

MICHAEL BEALE has named two changes to his Rangers team for this afternoon's Scottish Premiership match against St. Johnstone at Ibrox.

John Lundstram and Fashion Sakala drop to the bench. New man Todd Cantwell will start as part of the front three and will be joined by Ryan Kent on the other side, with Alfredo Morelos leading the line once again. Ryan Jack will be joined in midfield by Glen Kamara, with Malik Tillman supporting the attack.

NOT long now until kick off with Todd Cantwell starting for Rangers as they host St Johnstone hoping to eat into their gap on Celtic at the top of the.

[Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/football/) [Hoops](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/team/14914/celtic/) in action away at [Dundee Utd](https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/sport/football/team/14938/dundee-united/) tomorrow. The gap at the top is cut to six points, with

Rangers host St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, so we simulated the game to predict the final score.

Rangers showed no signs of slowing down, and in the 45th minute, Tillman got on the scoresheet to send the Gers into the break with a three-goal advantage. Ryan Kent skipped past his marker on the left as he kickstarted a Rangers attack, and the winger found Morelos inside the box with a driven cross. From extremely close range his first shot was saved by the foot of the 'keeper, but Tillman was quickest to react to the rebound as he tapped home on the second attempt. Malik Tillman picked up the ball inside the box, but off balance, the midfielder ran away from goal as he tried to hold possession. It was an even contest between the two sides, and Rangers will be looking to make it back-to-back wins against the [Saints](https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/all-about/st-johnstone-fc) on Saturday. Rangers attempted a few ambitious strikes early on, and they took the lead when Ryan Jack found the target. We used FIFA 23 to try and predict the score, and this is what happened. And, just nine minutes after Jack's opener, the Light Blues doubled their lead through an emphatic Alfredo Morelos strike. Rangers sat off St Johnstone in the second half with a healthy lead, and neither side managed to trouble either goal in the remainder of the game as Beale's side emerged victorious. Malik Tillman and Ryan Kent stole the show with some fantastic attacking exchanges, with the Gers hurting the Saints down the left side of the pitch in the simulation. [Michael Beale’s](https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/all-about/michael-beale) side would send them six points behind [Celtic](https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/all-about/celtic-fc) in first, with the Hoops set to play on Sunday. Rangers take on St Johnstone for the second time in a week on Saturday as Michael Beale's side look to apply some pressure onto Celtic who play on Sunday.

The Ibrox side have one old face and one new face to call upon for the first time under Michael Beale.

[Rangers](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/all-about/rangers-fc) won't welcome back Kemar Roofe yet either with the forward still out with a shoulder injury, while long term absentees such as Steven Davis and Filip Helander also remain out. [Michael Beale](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/all-about/michael-beale) revealed he could have brought him back for this one but decided against it to ensure he built up his fitness and stayed available for as long as possible. The centre back has only played once since making the move to

Rangers eased past 10-man St Johnstone in a controversial match to cut the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership to six points.

Fashion Sakala (Rangers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Fashion Sakala (Rangers) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. - Shots - Squad number23Player nameCareyAverage rating - Squad number14Player nameWrightAverage rating - Squad number23Player nameWrightAverage rating - Squad number14Player nameKentAverage rating - Squad number2Player nameTavernierAverage rating "They worked extremely hard. After we had the difficult decisions against us, they didn't crumble. Kent and Morelos both continued their much-improved performances since the change of manager, although both need to find a more clinical edge. "In between, there was some good play without being ruthless enough in the box to score two or three more.

RANGERS were in Scottish Premiership action today against St Johnstone and you can view a collection of images.

Article Copyright © 2023. [HERE](https://www.rangers.co.uk/mygers/3jvwIFGlkkLQkwaie3nYLI) [HERE](https://shop.rangers.co.uk/)

It was a routine Rangers win on paper but it wasn't without its VAR and red card drama.

Stewart was "astonished" that Collum stuck to his guns and overruled VAR. One minute it's deemed a penalty and the next minute it's deemed not and if I'm on the wrong end it's a harsh penalty but that's what they seem to be giving them for at the moment." VAR checked it but Collum opted against going over to the monitor for a look himself. It's his right knee on Ryan Jack's shin, who's coming in at a decent speed and then he holds the left shin. Ryan's one his foot is flat to the floor, the boy gets there, he nicks it away and again, there's not enough aggression in that. Callum Davidson got booked for launching a water bottle in protest of the contrasting outcome compared to Clark's red. Collum quickly flashed a yellow, even though VAR wanted a check to upgrade it to red. It's the law, the officials are only applying the law and I think it's the law we maybe ned to look at. Stewart doubled down, adding: "For me it's not a penalty kick for a couple of reasons. However the St Johnstone man had little time to react as the ball swerved off the back of Connor Goldson just before reaching his path in a tight space. It was a dominant showing from Rangers who handed Todd Cantwell an Ibrox debut and saw Ianis Hagi return after a long-term injury. And the result puts Michael Beale's men within six points of [Premiership](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/all-about/scottish-premiership) leaders, Celtic, who visit Dundee United on Sunday.

On BBC Sportscene, pundits Stewart and McFadden gave their verdict with the former 'astonished' by one call. Rangers awarded penalty. Stewart said: "For me, ...

"There's constant contact between the ref and VAR official. Willie Collum took a long time to make that decision then VAR flashed up on the screen saying 'decision red card'. "He didn't (get it correct). "When you see those two challenges, the one that was on Ryan Jack and that one there today, and if you were told one was a red card and one was a yellow, I would find it inconceivable that anybody would say they were the decisions that were shown." So if VAR is saying that's a red card then he should look at it on the screen but he didn't and he's just pulled out the red card. [Michael Stewart](https://www.footballscotland.co.uk/all-about/michael-stewart) believes the experienced whistler got all three WRONG, with fellow pundit James McFadden also questioning his decision making.