Analysis – what does the draw today mean for Rangers?

If we are to emotionally react like many fans are at full time, it’s the old ‘rotten away from home’ and ‘dropping points all over the place’ and ‘not good enough’.

And yes, drawing at Tannadice isn’t exactly the best result we could have hoped for, but we hasten to point out they’re fourth in the table, it was a much better performance than we had there earlier in the season (where we lost) and they’re unbeaten since mid-January, aside Celtic.

Furthermore, league-wise we bounced back magnificently from the loss at Parkhead and then won at Dortmund.

The reason Rangers fans are having a meltdown, understandably, is Celtic have put together a league run of wins, having not drawn since the trip to St Mirren kids.

And today they have a chance to go 3 clear, which we agree isn’t ideal.

We’re not going to make any excuses, just like sensible players shouldn’t – this wasn’t our day, we were wasteful up front, and Utd defended for their lives.

If Gio wants to bring attention to the two blatant penalties we were denied, that’s his right. They did change the game.

But this stuff runs for and against you, and it’s not going to change the result.

Domestically Rangers are looking patchy – capable of colossal form as much as poor form, there’s an overall lack of consistency at present, but equally since Gio came in he’s had four draws and one defeat in all competitions (18 matches). Before Steven Gerrard left the last 18 matches he’d had saw 5 draws and two losses.

Gio is using much the same squad and hasn’t really had the budget to really improve it.

Things are on a knife edge – this team is capable of brilliance, and it’s also capable of scraping the barrel.

Gio has improved our lot, but he’s had just one January transfer window with which to do it.

There’s only so much a manager can do mid-season and it’s safe to say the incredible start he had is a thing of the past, and we’re into the meat and bones now.

One thing we’ll say, the team he put out today should have had the stuff to win that one, but it just wasn’t meant to be.

And we also give credit to Utd, who earned the point by defending with everything they had.

Just a pity we wasted so many chances eh?