Eamonn Brophy’s dramatic 88th minute winner for Kilmarnock, for whom Stephen O’Donnell had cancelled out Scott Arfield’s first half opener, leaves the Ibrox men a yawning 10 points behind champions Celtic at the top of the Premiership.

Rangers have now dropped eight points from their six league games since returning to action in January, the memory of their Old Firm victory at Celtic Park at the end of December now a dim and increasingly irrelevant memory for their supporters.

With just one win from their previous six visits to Rugby Park, this was always a fixture laden with potential to deliver another damaging setback to Rangers’ hopes of reeling in Celtic over the coming weeks.

Eamonn Brophy celebrates scoring the winning goal. Picture: SNS

The return of Ryan Jack in midfield after a four-match injury absence seemed like a significant boost for Gerrard as he attempted to build the kind of momentum which has appeared so elusive for his side since the break.

Up until Arfield’s spectacular strike gave them the breakthrough,they dominated possession without seriously imposing themselves in their attacking third of the pitch.

When they did work their way into promising positions during those early stages, the final cross or attempt at goal lacked conviction.

An intricate move involving James Tavenier, Ianis Hagi and Alfredo Morelos was a case in point, the Kilmarnock defence carved open only for the Colombian striker to scuff a tame shot wide of Jan Koprivec’s left hand post.

Rangers captain Tavernier found space on the right to create another opening for Morelos in the 14th minute and this time Koprivec had little trouble in gathering a header from around 12 yards.

The absence of Borna Barisic through injury would be seen as a blow for Rangers, given the Croatian left-back’s fine form this season, but his deputy Andy Halliday - making his first Premiership start since September - helped fashion a decent chance in the 23rd minute.

Halliday’s pass was flicked on first time by Hagi to find Joe Aribo on the left of the Kilmarnock penalty area but the Nigerian international drilled a shot wide of Koprivec’s right hand post.

The first moment of defensive alarm for Rangers came three minutes later when they switched off at a corner kick which was played low by Chris Burke to the unmarked Alan Power on the edge of the penalty area. The Irish holding midfielder seemed to catch the proverbial nosebleed at finding himself in shooting territory and blazed his effort wildly over.

Hagi and Aribo both drew applause with some artful touches throughout and a neat combination between the pair ended with the Romanian playmaker shooting wide on the half hour mark.

Another piece of delightful skill from Aribo set in motion the chain of events which led to the opener for Rangers two minutes later. He sent Ryan Kent free down the left who in turn found Morelos inside the box. The striker went down under Stuart Findlay’s challenge with his optimistic claims for a penalty ignored by referee John Beaton who signalled a corner.

Halliday’s set piece from the left was cleared as far as Arfield who, from the best part of 30 yards, unleashed a tremendous shot which beat the wrong-footed Koprivec high to his left.

Arfield almost repeated the trick three minutes later, this time smashing a left foot shot from 20 yards narrowly wide of Koprivec’s right hand post after more hesitant defending from the hosts.

Beaton had to step in to defuse rising tempers just before half-time, booking both Kent and Power for an off the ball clash which briefly threatened to spiral out of control as team-mates of both players got involved.

As Rangers pursued the comfort of a second goal after the break, Morelos continued to be frustrated. He saw a shot saved by Koprivec to the ‘keeper’s left, then picked up a yellow card for a clear act of simulation as he went down under no contact from Niko Hamalainen in a bid to secure a penalty.

Rangers had a more credible spot-kick claim turned down when Kent went down after a Burke challenge, before Morelos almost doubled their lead in remarkable fashion with an audacious lob from around 25 yards which beat Koprivec but bounced off the top of the crossbar.

Kilmarnock always looked capable of exposing the fragility of Rangers’ lead and so it proved in the 77th minute. The visitors passed up several simple opportunities to clear their lines and were punished when Hamalainen’s miscued shot fell kindly for O’Donnell who calmly slid a shot beyond Allan McGregor from around 10 yards.

Morelos scorned a glorious chance to restore Rangers’ advantage five minutes later, heading over from close range after being found unmarked by Tavernier’s cross.

It would be Killie who had the last and decisive word, Brophy racing free of the Rangers defence to steer home a memorable winner for the hosts and their jubilant fans.

Kilmarnock 2 - 1 Rangers: Hosts come from behind as Rangers drop further in title race