Philippe Clement outlines one key missing Rangers component in narrow but 'massive' Dundee United win

Upbeat Philippe Clement has named the one key ingredient his Rangers side lacked in their slender 1-0 Premiership win over Dundee United at Tannadice - before reeling off a number of reasons for fans to believe they can respond to a lacklustre start to the campaign.

The Light Blues were to winning ways on their return to domestic action following the international break in Tayside, with attacker Tom Lawrence netting the only goal of the game after just seven minutes on the clock to move the Ibrox club above their hosts into third spot in the league table.

And the Belgian boss praised his players for grinding out a “big results” but flagged an area of their game that was missing from their display on their visit to the City of Discovery.

He told BBC Sportsound: “It’s a big result. It is a hard place to come and Dundee United showed that the last couple of weeks. Also, after an international break when lots of players leave the club and you don’t have many training moments it is always dangerous to come to a place like this and the players did a really good job and it is a deserved victory.

“I think after 20 minutes we had 80 per cent ball possession and several chances. It is massive to start the game really well. Once we did, the only thing I think we missed today was scoring the second goal to kill off the game or the third after. Then you are more comfortable because against these teams it always remains dangerous with one long throw-in or one corner or set piece.

“In another way we didn’t give away chances so that is also a really good thing from the team. We defended well and at the set pieces we were on top of things and won the duels. It is massive in those games to keep a clean sheet. Keeping clean sheets is so important. But the most satisfying thing is we have so many new players. Some are a few weeks here, some a few days.

“Like (Nedim) Bajrami doesn’t even know all the names of his colleagues at the moment. It needs time to gel the team together to let them understand what they need to do together, which moments to create these connections and timings in the runs plus the work with and without the ball. The most positive point was it felt like a home game. Our fans were amazing again and you felt the synergy between the fans and team. We are looking forward to going to Ibrox again to feel this x10 more.”