WHOEVER Rangers appoint as their interim manager will have an arduous task leading the Ibrox club to second place in the Ladbrokes Premiership this season.

This extraordinary Aberdeen victory over Motherwell in a rearranged league game at Pittodrie last night means the north-east club are now three points ahead of them in the table.

Yet, it is not just the gap that Mark Warburton’s temporary replacement will have to overhaul that should concern him when he takes over, it is the scintillating form of the team his side will have to edge ahead of.

Aberdeen made it eight wins in their last nine outings with this 7-2 rout. They showed once again they are well-organised at the back, full of confidence, pace and invention in midfield and utterly clinical up front.

Perhaps only bringing in Derek McInnes, the Aberdeen manager who is among the bookmakers’ favourites to take over from Warburton and who was the man responsible for this result, will enable Rangers to achieve their goal in the coming months.

Aberdeen, who had only been ahead of their rivals on goal difference before last night, have now taken 18 points out of the last 21 available. That is in stark contrast to Rangers who have picked up just five points from the last 15.

It has been quite a turnaround when you consider that Rangers edged seven points clear in second spot when they defeated Inverness Caledonian Thistle 1-0 at Ibrox back on Christmas Eve.

McInnes made the first change to his starting line-up in nine games last night – and that was only because Graeme Shinnie was suspended. Ryan Christie, who had scored in the 2-0 win over Partick Thistle late on a fortnight earlier, made his first start.

Motherwell had a chance to move into the top six in a tightly-packed league table with a draw. A point would have seen them jump above Kilmarnock thanks to a superior goal difference. But their defensive deficiencies - they were unable to keep a clean sheet for the 11th time in 12 outings – meant there was no chance of that happening.

Aberdeen took the lead in just the second minute after Shay Logan headed a diagonal cross into the Motherwell box from Kenny McLean down to Adam Rooney whose shot broke to the advancing Jonny Hayes. The winger made no mistake.

It was no surprise when they built on their lead in the 32nd minute. The Motherwell defence was posted missing when Niall McGinn floated a corner kick in to Ash Taylor. The centre half was unmarked as he rose unopposed and nodded a downward header beyond Craig Samson.

The next goal, which came just two minutes later, was even worse from the visitors’ perspective. Keith Lasley attempted to play the ball out of his box only to be dispossessed by Hayes who squared the ball to Rooney. The striker had the simplest of tasks to side foot the ball into the net.

Aberdeen fans sensed a rout and started to chant “we want nine” in reference to the record 9-0 defeat which they suffered against Celtic at Parkhead back in 2010 during Mark McGhee’s ill-fated spell in charge.

Christie got in on the act just four minutes before half-time with the pick of the bunch. Taylor laid the ball back to him and he flicked it into the top right corner with the outside of his left foot. It capped an outstanding 45 minutes from the midfielder.

Aberdeen were pushing strongly to finish second in the top flight for the third season running before the 21-year-old arrived on loan from Celtic. But he has definitely improved a side which was already enjoying a rich vein of form.

This fixture was abandoned back in December due to floodlight failure. As a thick fog rolled in off the North Sea the small pocket of away supporters in the South Stand must have been hoping this fixture suffered the same fate.

But their night got even worse – and the home supporters’ evening even better. McGhee was sent to the stands in the 61st after fourth official John McKendrick called Alan Muir over the technical area.

Rooney buried a penalty after Stevie Hammell had brought down Logan and then bagged his hat-trick from just a few yards out after another McGinn corner.

Substitute Ryan Bowman and Pearson both scored consolation goals for Motherwell and Peter Pawlett burst through scored with seven minutes remaining and completed the massacre.

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, Considine, Taylor, Reynolds, McLean, Christie (Storey, 80), Rooney (Stockley, 71), McGinn (Pawlett, 72), Hayes, Jack. Substitutes not used: Alexander, O’Connor, Wright, Ross, Storey.

Motherwell: Samson, Tait, Hammell, Heneghan, McManus, Moult, Cadden, Lasley, Frear (Clay, 66), Lucas (Bowman, 46), Pearson. Substitutes not used: Griffiths, Ainsworth, Jules, Campbell, McMillan.

Referee: Alan Muir.

Attendance: 10,384.