“Rangers need a nasty edge to their game.”

Not for the first time this season, Rangers were found wanting in defence as they scambled a 2-2 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice.

With first-choice centre-backs Derek Cornelius and John Souttar both out injured, Danny Rohl is having to use Nasser Djiga and Emmanuel Fernandez as the cornerstone of a defence that is creaking alarmingly.

Fernandez was skinned for United’s opener as Zac Sapsford ran from the halfway line to calmly finish, while former winger Neil McCann highlighted “so many errors” from the visitors that allowed Amar Fatah to put Jim Goodwin’s side 2-1 up.

United racked up 41 final-third entries against Rangers and managed 25 touches in the opposition box. They created two big chances and had 13 shots, six of which were on target.

“Your defenders need to show a bit of steel,” said McCann on Sportscene.

“John Souttar is the one defender I would say absolutely puts his body on the line, they need more of that.

“If you’re putting loads of forwards on, loads of attacking flair on the pitch, you’ve got to make sure the back door is slammed shut.

“Too many times Rangers are reactive.”

Rangers lacking firepower

At the other end, Rangers weren’t shy in coming forward – they registered 32 shots on goal, the highest of any team in a Premiership match this season.

But for all that, they needed a controversial 98th-minute penalty to salvage a draw.

Danny Rohl’s men generated an expected goals of 4.27 with 10 shots on target, 23 shots inside United’s box and seven big chances. Add that to 49 touches in United’s box and 55 final-third entries.

Rangers will perhaps look back on Youssef Chermiti’s golden opportunity to level in the second half as a turning point.

Nedim Bajrami played a wonderful ball in but Chermiti, unmarked in the middle of the six-yard box, glanced his header wide as the £8m striker’s woes continue.

“Chermiti has come under a lot of pressure but that is why,” former United midfielder Scott Allan told Sportscene.

“A ball in doesn’t get any better than that and to not even force the keeper to make a save, there’s no getting away from it, there’s a real worry about the quality Chermiti has shown.”

Shining light Bajrami

The one saving grace for Rangers was the performance of Bajrami.

The winger attempted seven shots – the highest total for a Rangers player in the Premiership this season – and netted his first league goal of the season with a cool last-gasp penalty.

Bajrami had five shots inside United’s box, the highest of any Rangers player in the game, and created one big chance while his xG of 0.96 was only bettered by Djeidi Gassama’s 0.98.

In terms of distribution, Bajrami’s 28 passes in the final third was the highest of any Rangers and his four crosses were bettered only by full-backs Jayden Meghoma and James Tavernier.