What a surprise triumph for Dundee United’s new manager Tam Courts. And what an unexpected humbling for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers, as they suffered a first Premiership defeat in 17 months.
The world was a very different place when Hamilton Accies’ David Moyo stepped up to consign Rangers to an Ibrox loss on March 4, 2020.
Social distancing was something you did when an unfriendly face appeared at the pub door. Full stadiums were the norm.
Rangers coach Steven Gerrard suffered his first Scottish Premiership loss since March 2020
And Gerrard was big enough to front up after matches and take questions from the attendant press.
Rangers have spent the past few weeks engaging battles with the media, sponsors and the SPFL, yet the fire is missing where it really matters.
The champions got used to winning in empty arenas as they cantered undefeated to the title last season but the facts are they have not started this season well.
This was a second defeat on the bounce for Gerrard and his players and resoundingly not the preparation they wanted as they attempt to turn round a 2-1 deficit in the Champions League qualifier against Malmo on Tuesday.
It would do Courts and his players a disservice to dwell too long on Rangers’ shortcomings at Tannadice.
For the home team this was a performance that showcased excellence in each department of the team, from Charlie Mulgrew’s towering defending through Jeando Fuchs’ clever and powerful anchoring of the midfield.
In attack Nicky Clark, Peter Pawlett and Logan Chalmers ran themselves to a stand-still. And then there was match-winner Jamie Robson, who tucked away the winner like a seasoned striker and seemed to grow an extra metre every time he rose to defend a back-post header.
Backed by a 5,000 crowd, United responded to the novelty of playing in front of their first home Premiership crowd in five years.
If a lack of signing activity and the promotion of Courts from youth academy to the manager’s office had caused apprehension among the Tannadice faithful, they would instantly have liked what they saw from their team.
The lack of an audience scarcely helped Micky Mellon last season but the spectator factor could not account for all of United’s enhanced zip and vibrancy here. And it unsettled Rangers.
The champions could hardly blame a lack of continuity. Only midfielder John Lundstram is new to Gerrard’s system but he was a lumbering disappointment and far from being Rangers’ only poor performer.
The yellow card picked up by Connor Goldson for scything down Peter Pawlett encapsulated an unsettling day for the centre-back and at left-back Borna Barisic looked just as unnerved.
Key to that was the willingness of young United winger Chalmers to pick up the ball and run. The 21-year-old clearly trusts in his
