How Rangers players rated in 3-1 Premiership win v Livingston

They have faltered in west Lothian in the past and while David Martindale's side made Rangers work for the win, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side are six clear of Hearts in second and will still command at least a four-point lead if Celtic can win against Aberdeen on Sunday afternoon.

Rangers’ trend of conceding first ended on Thursday against Sparta Prague and the changes under the new manager continued with Scott Arfield scoring the opener against his hometown team and Joe Aribo adding a well-worked second that kissed the crossbar on the way past Max Stryjek.

Livingston came back at the visitors and Allan McGregor kept out Alan Forrest but couldn’t deny Bruce Anderson knocking in the rebound to reduce the home arrears.

That gave Livingston hope and they almost levelled but for a typically vital stop from McGregor to again deny Forrest close-in with a fingertip touch he had really no right to get and divert what looked a certain equaliser over the crossbar.

It knocked the wind out the home side but they hung in during the second-half – delayed by more than eight minutes because of snow thrown onto the pitch from the stands.

Rangers were in control but their dominance was not reflected in the scoreline until late on when Fashion Sakala headed in the third late on to relieve the growing tension and deliver a winning league start to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s SPFL Premiership tilt.

Here is how the players, and manager, rated in the 3-1 victory.

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