Rangers player ratings vs Aberdeen: Two score 8/10 as Ibrox skipper eases heat on McInnes amid VAR controversy

Rangers secured a crucial three points at Pittodrie as Lawrence Shankland’s second-half penalty earned Derek McInnes’ side a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Aberdeen in a game dominated by VAR controversy.

The result provides some much-needed relief for the Ibrox boss following a difficult start to the campaign and Thursday’s disappointing European exit to Jablonec.

McInnes made four changes to his side for the trip to his former club, with the Rangers manager demanding a response from his players. And while this was far from a polished performance, the visitors showed enough resilience to come away with the three points they desperately craved.

Aberdeen started brightly and looked capable of causing problems, with the hosts enjoying spells of pressure as Rangers struggled to establish control. Chances were limited in a scrappy opening, however, with both sides finding it difficult to create clear opportunities.

The contest remained goalless after the interval before Rangers were handed the chance to break the deadlock. Djeidi Gassama was brought down inside the penalty area after 69 minutes, with referee Matthew MacDermid pointing to the spot.

Captain Shankland stepped up and made no mistake, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to give Rangers a narrow lead. The goal changed the complexion of the game, with the hosts forced to push forward in search of an equaliser.

Rangers had to withstand a late onslaught, and Aberdeen thought they had levelled when Kevin Nisbet found the net after Ivor Pandur had made a double save. However, his celebrations were short-lived.

VAR intervened to review the incident and the goal was ruled out after Nisbet was judged to have fouled Dujon Sterling in the build-up - a decision that preserved Rangers’ narrow advantage and ensured they would leave the North East with maximum points.

Here’s how we rated the Rangers players at Pittodrie...

GK - Ivor Pandur (6/10)

Had barely been tested for the opening hour, although he did cause a moment of concern with an unorthodox clearance that gifted Aberdeen a corner. Called into action and responded well, producing two big saves in quick succession. Little he could do when Nisbet pounced on the rebound and found the net before VAR ruled it out.

RB: Dujon Sterling (6/10)

A solid showing. Played a key role in creating the opener, whipping in an inviting cross into the danger area before Gassama was brought down inside the box to earn the spot-kick. Found himself at the centre of the Nisbet penalty incident amid suggestions of a pull on his opponents arm.

CB: Emmanuel Fernandez (5/10)

A few hair-raising moments once again. Twice put his side under unnecessary pressure with loose passes in promising areas, and was fortunate that neither mistake was punished.

CB: Olwethu Makhanya (7/10)

Delivered another composed performance, keeping the backline organised and stepping up whenever his team mates needed his leadership. Looks a solid addition.

LB: James Penrice (6/10)

Eager to get forward from full-back and offered plenty of attacking intent down the left flank, although he struggled to make a telling impact on the game. Subbed.

CM: Dan Neil (7/10)

Much better from the ex-Sunderland man. Played a crucial role in Rangers’ efforts to play out from the back, regularly dropping into the full-back positions to cover any space left by Sterling and Penrice as they pushed forward.

CM: Cammy Devlin (8/10)

An impressive display in the middle of the park, reading the danger well before it could develop and disrupting Aberdeen’s attempts to build momentum. His work off the ball was excellent, repeatedly breaking up attacks. Rangers will need more performances of this calibre from the Australian.

CAM: Kim Min-Su (7/10)

An encouraging debut from the South Korean, showing plenty of composure in possession and linking up intelligently with Curtis. His close control and ability to glide past opponents will offer another dimension to Rangers attack. Will feel he should have done better with a first-half opportunity created by Gassama and went close after the break from a free-kick that looked destined to find the net before the keeper intervened. Subbed.

RW: Findlay Curtis (6/10)

The decision to deploy the Scotland international on the right paid dividends initially, with the youngster looking lively and forming a promising partnership with Min-su. His impact gradually diminished as the contest wore on, though. Subbed.

LW: Djeidi Gassama (8/10)

Despite recent transfer speculation linking him with a summer exit, Gassama underlined his value with an energetic display. Produced one of the standout moments of the first-half when he broke forward and carried the ball almost the entire length of the pitch before setting up Min-su with a golden chance. Remained a constant threat and was rewarded for his efforts by earning the penalty that ultimately decided the contest.

CF: Lawrence Shankland (6/10)

Endured another frustrating afternoon in front of goal, often appearing hesitant and lacking his usual sharpness. Guilty of overcomplicating matters at times, taking an extra touch and allowing Aberdeen’s defence to close him down. But displayed his composure when it mattered most from the penalty spot, confidently converting to settle the game. Subbed.

Rangers subs

Kosta Nedeljkovic: 4 - Introduced for Penrice with 20 minutes remaining. Solid enough.

Daisuke Yokota: 3 - Replaced Min-Su as part of a double change, but didn’t have a major impact.

Ryan Naderi: N/A - A late run out after replacing Shankland. Caught an opponent flush in the face with an elbow that went unpunished.

Ben Godfrey: N/A - Returning from a short injury absence, given the final couple of minutes.

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