Cyriel Dessers’ early goal was enough for Rangers to beat Hearts 1-0 to ease some of the pressure on manager Philippe Clement.
After a turbulent league campaign, Rangers knew they needed a win to save the Belgian’s job and avoid being cut further adrift of Celtic and Aberdeen in the title race.
Dessers turned James Tavernier’s cross into the net to give Rangers an early lead and they had chances to move further ahead of the struggling Jambos.
But it was Hearts who looked the more threatening after the break with Kenneth Vargas smashing the ball off the post and Beni Baningime curling a shot just wide.
Rangers, who were buoyed by their League Cup semi-final win and Europa League draw in midweek, held on to go into the international break nine points off the summit, while Hearts remain ninth, just one point from the foot of the table.
Hearts try to rattle unconvincing Rangers
The teams observe a minute’s silence ahead of kick off for Remembrance Sunday
Hearts have not won in Govan in over a decade, and after conceding early it would have been easy for them to crumble, but they frustrated Rangers and there were some nervy moments.
After a perfectly-observed minute’s silence to commemorate Remembrance Sunday, Dessers gave the home side an early lead.
A flowing move involving Nico Raskin, Jefte and Nedim Bajrami ended with the ball speeding across the visiting area and skipper Tavernier, back in the side after being dropped in Athens, drove towards goal with Dessers helping the ball over the line from close range.
The Nigeria striker then had two efforts which were less successful, a blocked drive and a chip which went wide.
Dessers celebrates scoring to make it 1-0
Hearts, with Daniel Oyegoke, Kye Rowles, Cammy Devlin and Vargas back in the side, began to play but Rangers midfielder Mohamed Diomande drove wide from the edge of the box on the half-hour mark before Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon beat away a powerful drive from Vaclav Cerny after Connor Barron had sent him clear on a counter-attack.
However, the Gorgie outfit should have levelled in the 35th minute when Gers defender John Souttar’s short back-pass to Butland was picked by Vargas, but the Gers ‘keeper used his leg to clear the ball.
Vargas then cracked a post with a shot in the first minute of the second half after the Rangers defence was split wide open by skipper Lawrence Shankland’s pass and only had Butland to beat.
Rangers had lost tempo and drive, and progress up the pitch was often laboured, although Tavernier had two goal-bound drives blocked by Hearts defenders.
Hearts’ Kenneth Vargas hit the post at Ibrox
In the 65th minute, Clement replaced his captain with Neraysho Kasanwirjo and there were boos when popular central midfielder Barron was taken off for Dujon Sterling.
For Hearts, Yan Dhanda and Baningime took over from Alan Forrest and Malachi Boateng, and within minutes Baningime sent a curling shot just past Butland’s right-hand post.
Rangers at last broke with purpose in the 77th minute and Gordon saved Bajrami’s drive after he played a wall pass with Cerny.
However, there still slack passes and indecision although in the 89th minute, Kasanwirjo hit the crossbar from a cut-back from Danilo, who had replaced Dessers.
Clement: A well-deserved victory
Rangers manager Philippe Clement speaking to Sky Sports News:
“In every stage of the season it’s important to get the three points, it stays the most important thing.
“Of course we were playing to score the second goal then you kill the belief of the opponent, otherwise they stay in the game and they can equalise.
“We became too sloppy in our game in the second half, we showed more quality in the first half.
“[The number of games] can be no excuse because playing at Rangers is playing every three days and a lot of players still need to learn that.
“That’s still a growing phase for several players so it’s good to come out of that with a well-deserved victory after a massive week and a long trip.
“If we were nine points ahead we would need to keep winning also, so there’s no difference. It’s about looking at ourselves and raising our levels and becoming better. That’s our goal and not to look too much at the others.”
Critchley: We can’t be a nearly team
Hearts head coach Neil Critchley speaking to Sky Sports News:
“We started the game too tentatively, conceding early and not getting off to a great start but I thought we grew into the game after that.
“I thought we played really good football, controlled a lot of the game and in the second half we were excellent.
“In some ways I’m proud of the performance, but I don’t want to be a nearly team and we should have got something from that game.
“We more than matched Rangers for long periods and we’ve had a big opportunity after half-time that we’ve missed.
“When I looked on the pitch I thought ‘That’s a Hearts team giving their all, going right to the end,’ but I want us to come here and show more belief in what we’re doing.”
