Rangers draw with Dundee ahead of St Johnstone fixture

Rangers' seven-game winning run ended with a 2-2 draw at Dundee, a result that leaves them 12 points behind Celtic and sets the scene for St Johnstone's visit to Ibrox next week.

Rangers' momentum in the Scottish Premiership title race was checked by a 2-2 draw away to Dundee on Saturday. The result ended a seven-game winning streak for Derek McInnes's side and saw them fall 12 points behind leaders Celtic, providing context for St Johnstone's trip to Ibrox next weekend. St Johnstone, who sit fifth in the Premiership on 12 points after nine games, will face Rangers away on Saturday 24 October.

Dundee took a surprise lead at Dens Park through Bradley Fink in the 38th minute, but Rangers responded quickly. Badredine Bouanani, the 21-year-old Algerian on loan from Stuttgart, equalised with a spectacular strike just three minutes later. Rangers then went ahead on the hour mark when Nico Raskin fired home from 25 yards. Their lead lasted only nine minutes, however, as Dundee midfielder Callum Jones capitalised on a short back pass from Dan Neil to slot in the equaliser.

Manager Derek McInnes admitted his team started poorly. "You could sense in the Dens Park press room that McInnes felt it was a missed opportunity," was the assessment after the game. Rangers struggled with Dundee's direct and energetic approach for the first 41 minutes. They improved dramatically after halftime, dominating possession and creating chances, but faded again following a double substitution 14 minutes from time.

The draw has immediate implications for St Johnstone, who are level on 12 points with Rangers in the tightly-contested Premiership. St Johnstone's own recent form shows two wins, two draws and one loss from their last five matches, including a 1-1 draw with Dundee United last time out. That result at home on Saturday 17 October saw Josh Fowler open the scoring in the 21st minute. St Johnstone's recent run also includes a 1-0 away win at Aberdeen, where Fowler scored a penalty, and a 2-1 home win over Hibernian. They now prepare to face a Rangers side that has shown both attacking flair and defensive vulnerability. The last meeting between the sides was a 4-2 victory for St Johnstone back in July.

Rangers' defensive issues were highlighted for both Dundee goals, with right-back Dujon Sterling caught out for the opener. Despite the presence of players like Kevin Kelsy and Djeidi Gassama coming off the bench, they could not find a winner. Dundee, managed by Steven Pressley, fully merited their point with a resilient display, particularly from goalkeeper Owen Goodman. For St Johnstone, the result shows that points are there to be won at Ibrox, especially against a side that has conceded 11 goals already this season. The Perth side will look to build on their own solid start, which has them sitting fifth in the standings. With a record of three wins, three draws and three losses, and having scored and conceded 11 goals, they face a Rangers team currently second in the table.