Early goals from Lorenzo Amoruso and Shota Arveladze proved significant on a day when Rangers survived a late flurry from Livingston to maintain their six point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League table.

Rangers will take that advantage to Celtic Park next week for the most important league showdown between the Glasgow giants for some time.

Also significant was Stefan Klos' penalty save from Rolando Zarate in the second half, although when Livingston did score, through substitute Eugene Dadi, the match has literally seconds to run.

That late goal was not significant - unlike Johan Mjallby's late winner for Celtic at Parkhead which prevented the Rangers lead being extended to eight points.

The mathematical implications were not the only feature of this match as there was also a moment of controversy in the first half.

Trial by television has been a feature of Rangers' season with Kevin Muscat and Amoruso both having had incidents scrutinised by the Scottish Football Association.

Amoruso will discover next month if he is to be banned for four matches for spitting on Ayr United's James Grady last week but Muscat has already been cleared of an alleged illegal use of the an elbow the last time Rangers came to Almondvale.

Today viewers were able to witness another moment of controversy when Mikel Arteta was seen to kick out at Philippe Brinquin following a tussle that left both on the turf.

The SFA's video review panel are unlikely to have to press the remote button on this occasion though as referee John Rowbotham was on the scene as Livi players angrily descended on the Spaniard.

Rowbotham made efforts to diffuse the situation and the moment took on an extra twist when it became apparent he was also allowing play to continue.

The one remaining defender was able to stop Shota Arveladze from going through, although Craig Moore almost headed home from the resulting corner.

Rowbotham punished no-one for the flashpoint and the only yellow card of the first half had been shown to Rangers winger Neil McCann for a late challenge on Julian Maidana.

Maidana was able to continue after treatment. Team-mate Burton O'Brien, whose head had been gashed open by Barry Ferguson's boot, returned sporting a bandage.

The home side had also provided most of the attacking football in the first but that came after they gifted Rangers two early goals.

Amoruso netted the first in the eighth minute when Brinquin allowed him a free header from a corner and when McCann crossed from the left seven minutes later no fewer than four Livi men failed to cut it out.

That allowed Arveladze, who had seen an effort ruled out for offside from the previous attack, to stoop and nod the ball past the startled Alan Main.

Klos denied Quino after the midfielder let fly from the edge of the area.

But Main saved Arveladze at his near post shortly after the restart and when the Georgian was first to the rebound O'Brien had to get in the way almost on the line.

But Dadi, who had come on at the break for Quino, almost pulled one back with a shot across the box after he had been sent away down the inside right channel.

Main denied Arveladze again, this time from close range after Ferguson had opened up the defence with a measured pass.

Livi escaped again when Arteta went down in the box under a Marvin Andrews challenge and referee Rowbotham again resisted any urge to stop the play.

Ferguson, who was having a quiet afternoon, curled a shot just wide before Claudio Caniggia came on for Michael Mols and Livi swapped Barry Wilson for David Xausa with just under half and hour remaining.

O'Brien was his side's best performer and he forced Klos into a near post block but the German was not to be denied.

Rangers had sent Steven Thompson on for Arveladze and immediately the newcomer set up Caniggia for a tap-in.

That would have killed the game off but Caniggia was offside and straight away Livi were handed the opportunity they had been searching for all day.

Referee Rowbotham was in no doubt when Zarate went down under Fernando Ricksen's challenge as the ball was played into the Rangers box and it was the Argentinian who accepted the responsibility to taking the penalty.

But his effort was not clinical enough, allowing Klos to block, and then Klos made another save to deny Gustave Bahoken.

Zarate almost managed to pull back a goal late on but his drive went inches wide.

Ricksen almost made it 3-0 when Main had come out to stop Thompson going clear but the Dutchman's shot from almost on the halfway line bounced just wide. Then Main denied Thompson again.

There were also late bookings for Muscat and Ferguson, with the latter also denied by Main with a stoppage time diving header.

Livi did not go home empty handed as Dadi headed home a Zarate cross from close range in the last attack of the game.

Teams

Livingston: Main, Brinquin, Maidana, Andrews, Bahoken, Quino (Dadi 45), Makel (Toure-Maman 78), Lovell, O'Brien, Wilson (Xausa 63), Zarate.

Subs Not Used: McEwan, Camacho.

Goals: Dadi 90.

Rangers: Klos, Muscat, Moore, Amoruso, Bonnissel, Ricksen, Ferguson, Arteta, Mols (Caniggia 62), Arveladze (Thompson 71), McCann.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Malcolm, Hughes.

Booked: McCann, Ferguson, Muscat.

Goals: Amoruso 8, Arveladze 16.

Att: 10,004

Ref: J Rowbotham (Scotland).