Rangers suffer title-race setback as Motherwell win at Ibrox

Rangers have suffered a blow in the Premiership title-race as Motherwell secure a shock win at Ibrox.

Celtic can now leapfrog the league leaders if they beat Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday after Philippe Clement loses only his second league game during his time in Scotland.

Theo Bair put Motherwell ahead early in the first half before James Tavernier equalised from the penalty spot in the second.

Dan Casey then headed the Steelmen in front for a second time in the game late on and that was enough to earn all three points and give their hopes of a top-six place a boost.

Rangers went into the game looking to go five points clear at the top of the table and put further pressure on the Hoops ahead of their game in Edinburgh.

But it was the visitors who took an early lead when Bair collected a pass from Jack Vale in the area and put it past Jack Butland to make it 1-0 with only nine minutes gone.

The home side looked to get back on level terms straight away and came close through a header from Cyriel Dessers that was just wide of the post.

Yilmaz, McCausland and Diomande all had chances after that but Motherwell done well to stay in front and they almost doubled their lead when Blar Spittal had a gilt edged chance from inside the box.

The Motherwell midfielder’s first effort rebounded back to him off Connor Goldson before he failed to get full connection with his second bite when it looked like he would have been better off squaring the ball to a teammate who would have had pretty much an open goal.

Clement was forced into the first change of the match when Ross McCausland picked up a knock in the first-half and was replaced by Fabio Silva.

And the on-loan Wolves forward nearly made an instant impact but his close range volley was well saved by Liam Kelly and the Steelmen went into the break a goal up.

Rangers continued on the front foot in the second-half and Dessers had the ball in the net a couple of minutes after the restart but he had strayed into an offside position before turning it in and the goal was ruled out.

Motherwell then came close to adding to their lead when a close range volley from Spittal hit the cross bar before a shot from Lennon Miller was well wide.

But the home side were handed a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty with just over half an hour left on the clock.

The referee was called over to the VAR monitor to check a late challenge of Silva inside the box and decided to point to the spot.

And, as he has done so often in his Rangers, James Tavernier came to the rescue when they needed him most and put the spot kick into the top corner to make it 1-1.

The game was now starting to really up and there was chances as both end soon when Bair’s shot was well saved before Rangers broke on the counter attack and Dujon Sterling fired wide.

And it was Kettlewell’s side that got themselves in-front again when Casey headered home a cross from Spittal with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Rangers came close to an equaliser two minutes from time but Kelly pulled off a great save to force a corner before Goldson fired wide when he should have hit the target.

Silva then had a header cleared off the line by McGinn in the first minute of eight added on at the end of the game.

Rangers made a late push for an equaliser but it wasn’t to be and all eyes now turn to Tynecastle on Sunday as the race for the Premiership title heats up.