RANGERS emerged unscathed from a run of league and cup fixtures against Livingston, Cowdenbeath and St Mirren as their one step back was followed by three in the right direction.

Now Steven Gerrard’s side have a chance to stride forward in the coming days when they travel to Pittodrie and return to the scene of their setback at Rugby Park.

That defeat to Kilmarnock was a tough one to take for Rangers as their Old Firm efforts were undone in their first Premiership outing of the New Year. The response has been just what Gerrard would have demanded, though.

Livingston were well beaten and Cowdenbeath were taken care of. On Saturday, St Mirren were overcome with relative ease.

The focus over the weekend was all on the four penalties – three of which were scored – that referee Andrew Dallas awarded at Ibrox but the overall performance, and certainly the result, was of more importance to Gerrard.

It is only the final decision, when Greg Tansey brought down Daniel Candeias, that St Mirren can be upset about, however. There was more in the first than the second as Jermain Defoe went down under challenges from Ethan Erhahon and then Paul McGinn, but both were fouls.

Tansey was perhaps unlucky with the way James Tavernier’s cross hit him but Dallas was right to point to the spot for the third time. When that effort was dispatched, it was game over.

Tavernier converted two out of three and Defoe made no mistake from 12 yards but it was the final goal from Ryan Kent that would have pleased Gerrard the most.

The move was started and finished by Kent as he drove with the ball, slipped in Defoe and timed his run well before receiving the return pass and dinking a delicate shot over keeper Vaclav Hladky.

Rangers were far from their fluent best but the fact that three of their goals came from the spot doesn’t lessen how deserving they were of victory.

St Mirren weren’t short of endeavour while they were still in the game but they never asked enough questions of Rangers. On another day, the margin of victory could have been even greater.

“I just think we forgot the basics in football when you are at a big club,” Gerrard said. “You have to run hard, you have to work hard, you have got to press and be aggressive and play with intensity.

“I just thought we were a bit lethargic and a bit off it. Maybe it is me wanting too much out of them, but when I walked in the dressing room every set of eyeballs hit the floor, so I think I was right to ask for more at half-time.”

Gerrard will pose the same questions and make the same demands of his players in the coming days as attentions now turn to Aberdeen and a hugely significant Premiership clash.

If Rangers are to be considered potential champions rather than potential challengers, it is exactly the kind of fixture that Gerrard needs his side to win.

Having failed to do just that on the three occasions they have met the Dons so far this term, the Ibrox boss will be well aware of how difficult that challenge will be on the ground where he took charge of his first league game.

The Scottish Cup remains Rangers’ most likely chance of lifting some silverware this season and, with that in mind, the fifth-round tie with Kilmarnock is arguably a more important outing for the Light Blues.

But a victory at Pittodrie would be a major boost in terms of momentum and confidence for Rangers, and it would give supporters belief that this group of players might just have what it takes this term.

It is a match the Gers will relish rather than fear and one they go into on the back of a routine win, albeit one that was earned in extraordinary circumstances.

“The priority today was obviously the result,” Gerrard said. “Secondly a clean sheet, if you can do that, so I am happy with that, and thirdly the performance.

“I thought we got a slight improvement after the break but we were disappointing first half and over the next seven days we will have to perform a lot better than we did today.”

It may have been an afternoon of mixed emotions for Gerrard but there were still positives for the Ibrox boss to take, especially in the performances of Kent and Defoe.

The Liverpool kid collected the Man of the Match award for another eye-catching showing that he capped with that fine finish late on, while Defoe continues to get better with each outing.

The Englishman looked sharper here and the minutes alongside Morelos were important for his own fitness. It also gave his partnership with the Colombian a chance to further bed in.

It is one that is likely to be broken up this week, though. As Gerrard prepares for two matches that could define his season, he will surely revert back to the 4-3-3 formation that has been utilised for the majority of it so far.

Beating the opposition that Rangers have in recent days is one thing, but it is quite another overcoming the likes of Aberdeen and Kilmarnock given what is at stake.

That is the challenge now for Rangers. Come Saturday night, Gerrard will have a clearer idea of where his side are and what is achievable in his first campaign at Ibrox.