Ross County 0 Rangers 4: Roofe, Tavernier and Defoe goals send Steven Gerrard’s 14 points clear of Celtic

STEVEN GERRARD hinted at changes for Rangers with a busy spell ahead.

And one thing not changing was their remarkable form – or Jermain Defoe getting on the scoresheet.

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James Tavernier celebrated after his goal helped Rangers to a huge winCredit: PA:Press Association

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Kemar Roofe slid in the opener as Rangers extended the lead atop the Scottish PremiershipCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Defoe made his 800th appearance of his career and put the icing on the cake in stoppage time.

The visitors head to Lech Poznan on Thursday knowing they’ve already qualified for the last 32.

But for now they wait to see what response Celtic have against St Johnstone this afternoon as they go 14 POINTS clear with the 4-0 win.

It was a sticky opening quarter to the game with neither side threatening.

And it was the hosts who fashioned the first chance of the game after 25 minutes.

Iain Vigurs’ diagonal ball over the top found Harry Paton on the right.

He cut inside and sent a rasping left-footed shot on target which McGregor beat away.

That seemed to be the wake-up call that Rangers needed as they broke the deadlock two minutes later.

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Tavernier claimed the assist in Morris’ OG en route to Rangers’ crushing winCredit: PA:Press Association

Steven Davis judged a defence-splitting pass to perfection inside the right channel that found James Tavernier and his low cross into the six-yard box was put in by a sliding Kemar Roofe.

Iain Vigurs picked up his customary booking booking just before the interval as he caught Morelos with a late slide tackle in the middle of the park.

In the aftermath, Gardyne quickly followed him into the book after something he said following the challenge.

Goldson and Kamara took an immediate dislike to what was said and Gerrard spoke with referee John Beaton on the way off the park.

Ryan Kent was quiet in the first half but was immediately involved at the start of the second.

His tricky run down the left resulted in a cross to Roofe who saw his downward header saved by Ross Laidlaw and Alfredo Morelos couldn’t score the rebound after a wonderful block from Callum Morris.

And Kent was involved in the second goal too. His low cross from the left was met by Roofe sliding in the six-yard box again and Josh Reid did superbly well to block the shot.

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Steven Gerrard’s side are now miles clear of Celtic in the tableCredit: PA:Press Association

However, Tavernier was following in right behind Roofe and the ball bounced off the Rangers skipper and into the net.

County had their big chance to become only the third side to score against Rangers in the Premiership this season.

Midway through the second half, Reid’s delivery into the box was flicked on by Stewart at the front post and Connor Randall – on at half time for Keith Watson – blasted well over the bar from three yards with the goal at his mercy.

Tavernier looked for his second of the game with a volley from the right-hand side of the box but it went well-wide.

He did get his usual assist not long after though when sent clear down the right by Goldson.

Morelos was free in the centre of the box to roll home into an empty net, but Morris slid in in front of the Colombian and diverted into his own goal.

Gerrard then made a quadruple sub with just over a quarter of an hour to play, switching the entire front three for Cedric Itten, Ianis Hagi and Defoe.

Hagi tried his luck from wide on the right from a free-kick but Laidlaw parried over from underneath his crossbar.

Then Defoe got his goal in injury time, spinning on the edge of the six-yard box from an Itten pass and rolling it into the net.

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