Dundee’s dreadful start to the season continued against Rangers at Ibrox with the Dark Blues losing 4-0 to ensure they remain pointless in the Premiership with the pressure increasing once more on manager Neil McCann.
The home side netted three times in the first half and added one more in the second 45 with Dundee’s misery made complete with Kenny Miller sent off late on.
The Dark Blues were huge underdogs in Glasgow but they have now lost six in a row and simply have to take something from next week’s game at home against Hibs otherwise there will be major doubts over McCann’s future at Dens.
The manager made five changes from the team that lost to Motherwell at Dens before the international break with goalie Elliott Parish, Darren O’Dea, Elton Ngwatala, Calvin Miller and Andy Boyle coming in for Jack Hamilton, Genseric Kusunga, Adil Nabi, Josh Meekings and Lewis Spence.
It was O’Dea’s first appearance of the season with the central defender reportedly offered to Falkirk just before the transfer window closed.
Rangers boss Steven Gerrard made three changes from the team that was beaten by Celtic two weeks ago with recalls to the starting line-up for Daniel Candeias, Andy Halliday and Lassana Coulibaly.
And it was the latter who opened the scoring in just the fourth minute. A shot by Borna Barisic was blocked but the ball fell perfectly for Coulibaly who shot past the exposed Parish.
Dundee bounced back from that terrible start with Paul McGowan going close with a shot from the edge of the Rangers penalty area.
However, the Dark Blues then found themselves two goals down in the 14th minute when Ryan Kent played a great one-two in the Dundee box before calmly slotting the ball past Parish.
The keeper was beaten once more in the third minute of first-half stoppage time. O’Dea, who had received treatment for a back injury shortly before, was late with a challenge on Alfredo Morelos inside the Dundee box with referee Kevin Clancy having no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Rangers skipper James Tavernier stepped up and smashed the ball past Parish to make it 3-0 at the break.
Morelos should have made it four shortly after the restart but he dithered and Cammy Kerr made an outstanding block. The Rangers striker did better in the 59th minute when he hit a low, angled drive but Parish dived to make a superb fingertip save.
As the half progressed, Dundee continued to frustrate the home side who despite dominating play could not add to their lead.
However, the Dark Blues’ day became worse in the 78th minute when Miller was shown a straight red card for a rash challenge on Barisic. Incredibly, the striker received a standing ovation from the Rangers fans as he trudged off.
Gerrard’s side made it four in the 83rd minute when sub Genseric Kusunga chested a cross straight into the path of Rangers replacement Glenn Middleton who gleefully accepted the gift to shoot past Parish.
Sub Kyle Lafferty hit the bar with a header in the 90th minute.
