Cyriel Dessers strike caps Rangers’ fightback victory at Dundee United

Rangers came from behind to win for the first time in the Premiership this season with an eventful victory over Dundee United at Tannadice. The home side took the lead through the loan striker Sam Dalby but Mohamed Diomande levelled for Rangers and Robin Pröpper put his side ahead shortly after half-time with a deflected drive.

Cyriel Dessers, who had scored a stunning equaliser in the 2-1 Europa League defeat by Manchester United on Thursday, added a wonderful third goal. There was more drama when Diomande, returning after being suspended for the game at Old Trafford, was controversially sent off in the fifth minute of added time by the referee, Nick Walsh, for tangling with the United defender Kevin Holt.

Philippe Clement’s side are now 10 points behind leaders Celtic, who have played a game less after their match on Saturday against Dundee was called off due to weather damage to their stadium. Rangers had fallen behind on seven previous occasions in the league, drawing three and losing four, but they proved too strong for Jim Goodwin’s third-placed United.

The visitors almost fell behind in the fourth minute when Dalby headed a Ryan Strain corner against the post before the Rangers captain, James Tavernier, hooked the ball away to safety. The next real goalmouth action came in the 16th minute when Jack Butland was forced into a fine save from Luca Stephenson’s drive from distance before Dalby headed wide.

However, Dalby, whose loan from Wrexham will go on to the end of the season, pounced after the Rangers defence failed miserably to deal with a long throw from Will Ferry, forcing the ball high past Butland from 10 yards to take his tally to 11 for the season.

Rangers equalised when Diomande took a pass from Tavernier and drilled a shot from the edge of the box through a clutch of tangerine jerseys and in at the far post past Jack Walton. United remained dangerous and Butland made a point-blank save from Dalby after a cross from Strain, while Walton made saves from Dessers and Nedim Bajrami to finish the first half.

Rangers took the lead four minutes after the restart when, following a corner, the unmarked Pröpper took a pass from Ianis Hagi inside the box, turned and shot with the ball coming off Holt and past the helpless Walton. Moments later, Dessers was through with only Walton to beat but the United keeper held firm.

Walton made a good save from Hamza Igamane’s curled shot from the edge of the box before the Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin turned a Dalby cross against his own post, with the visitors escaping. Goodwin’s side pushed bodies forward leaving gaps. Dessers had the ball in the United net from a Bajrami pass but the offside flag was correctly raised.

However, the Nigeria striker flashed a shot from a Zak Lovelace pass high past Walton in the 86th minute to seal the win. Diomande hit a post but was then sent off by Walsh after tangling with Holt, the official sticking with his original decision after looking at his pitch-side monitor at the behest of his VAR.