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Your support makes all the difference.Rangers lead at the top of the Premier Division remains undiminished at 11 points. One of the most comprehensive victories they have achieved for some time over Aberdeen wiped away the best efforts of Celtic, who had temporarily cut their lead to eight with a 2-1 victory over Hearts on Saturday.
However, the bad feeling which has existed between the supporters of these clubs showed itself in unfortunate fashion as the Aberdeen supporters disrupted a minute's silence before the game in memory of George Young, the legendary Rangers centre half of the 1940s and 50s.
Walter Smith the Rangers manager, voiced dep disapproval, saying: "I thought it was terrible, one of the worst things I have heard in Scottish football for a long time. I know Rangers are not popular among the Aberdeen supporters but I didn't think there was any need for that lack of respect, which was way over the top."
The actions of the Aberdeen supporters riled the Rangers players to the extent that within 22 seconds Erik Bo Andersen headed narrowly over from a David Robertson cross. That early miss set the pattern for the match with Rangers dominating for long periods, and indeed they may have won by a greater margin. Rarely have Aberdeen been so feckless in Glasgow, and with just two points gained from the last 18 Roy Aitken their manager will know now the level of the task facing him.
Rangers swept into the lead in the 20th minute, Andersen using his blistering pace to latch on to a through ball by Brian Laudrup to score his 11th goal in seven starts this season. The Dane was on the spot again in the 34th minute. A deep cross from Robertson found him lurking at the far post and a simple header completed the task.
Aberdeen rarely troubled the Rangers defence, with Andy Goram, the home goalkeeper, having little to do other than hold on to a couple of free- kicks.
The second half saw Rangers increase their lead in the 58th minute when Brian Irvine tripped Derek McInnes in the penalty area allowing Jorg Albertz the chance to score from the spot.
Thereafter Rangers moved into auto pilot and it took them until the 85th minute to score the fourth goal, Laudrup shooting home from close range after Derek Stillie parried hold a McInnes shot.
"It was a very pleasing victory for us and we went for it right at the start of the game," was the assessment of Smith. On Andersen, he added: "He has shown that getting into the team and getting the right kind of service that he can return that kind of service with an amount of goals."
Goals: Andersen (20) 1-0; Andersen (30) 2-0; Albertz pen (58) 3-0; Laudrup (85) 4-0.
Rangers (3-5-2): Goram; Gough, McLaren, Bjorklund; Cleland, McInnes, Gascoigne (Petric, 61), Albertz, Robertson; Andersen, Laudrup. Substitites not used: McCoist, Van Vossen.
Aberdeen (4-4-2): Stillie; Rowson, Irvine, Kombouare, Tzvetanov (Ingolfsson, 31); Kiriakov, Windass, Young, Glass; Miller, Dodds (Booth, 65). Substitute not used: Anderson.
Referee: W Young (Clarkston).
Bookings: Rangers Robertson; Aberdeen Kiriakov, Windass.
Attendance: 47,509.
Man of the match: Robertson.
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