Ronald de Boer made his long-awaited comeback but it was Christian Nerlinger, a man who also knows every inch of the Rangers treatment table, who downed Livingston.

The German's early strike ended up deciding a Scottish Premier League contest that was far too close for the home fans' liking.

Nerlinger had been handed his first start since early November because Mikel Arteta failed a late fitness test.

But Alex McLeish was in the mood for change anyway with Bob Malcolm, Henning Berg and the teenager Hamed Namouchi all being jettisoned.

That allowed Fernando Ricksen, who was laid low by flu a week ago, to return to the midfield, Michael Mols to play up front in a three-pronged attack and Maurice Ross to make a rare start at right-back.

The sight of Ross, the only Scot in the home line-up, was good news for the watching Berti Vogts, who also had an eye on Livingston's Jamie McAllister.

Livi goalkeeper Roddy McKenzie had posted an impressive sequence of shut-outs earlier in the campaign and will have impressed Vogts with a point-blank block save to deny Nuno Capucho in the third minute.

But McKenzie needed David McNamee to bail him out when he made a hash of an attempted punch from a corner, the Livi number two stopping a Craig Moore effort on the line.

But the reprieve lasted just a few seconds as McKenzie could only half parry a Ricksen drive with his legs and Nerlinger was on hand to slot home the rebound in the 12th minute.

Another botched punch presented Moore with a more difficult chance but this too was shepherded away. McKenzie also made partial amends for his error with a flying save to deny Shota Arveladze from distance.

Livi enjoyed some encouraging moments in the first half however, starting with a Derek Lilley header that flashed just wide of Stefan Klos' right-hand post after David Fernandez had floated a cross behind the last defender.

Marvin Andrews poked the ball over the line soon afterwards but Fernandez had already taken the ball out of play when crossing.

Klos had to smother a chance at the feet of Lilley after Andrews had won a header from a corner and Livi captain Stuart Lovell went close with long-range efforts as the Almondvale side showed why they are currently in the top half of the table.

Tempers were soon raised after the restart when Lilley went in heavily on Moore and although referee Ian Brines initially ordered play to continue he soon had to call a halt so the Australian could receive treatment.

Moore was soon back in action but was nowhere when Fernandez was sent goalwards down the inside left channel and the home side were relieved when he curled his shot round Klos but also past the far post.

Referee Brines had ruled Lilley's challenge on Moore to have been a legitimate challenge but not so when Paolo Vanoli went to ground in the 53rd minute and the striker was shown a yellow card.

Andrews and Arveladze both needed treatment following a clash of heads after the big defender had come charging in for a high ball.

Peter Lovenkrands was hurt in a tussle with Lee Makel before Capucho was involved in two penalty box incidents.

The first brought him a yellow card as he threw himself to the turf as Emmanuel Dorado slid in and the second did not result in a penalty either despite animated claims that his shot had been blocked by a gold-shirted arm.

By that time de Boer had come on for Mols, to huge applause, and had played a part in the build-up with a delightful flick to give Vanoli space in the box.

Livi replaced Lovell with striker Fernando Pasquinelli, and the newcomer immediately forced a save out of Klos when he beat the home defence to a Makel free kick into the box.

Livi continued to press and Fernandez forced Klos into a fine tip-over having run at the heart of the Rangers defence and let fly from 25 yards.

De Boer was also a danger though and flicked a header across goal and inches wide after a good run and cross down the right from Capucho.

But still Livi pressed for an equaliser and, after Makel had tested Klos, they sent the huge frame of Andrews upfield for the final minutes.

Twice the big man met crosses with powerful headers and twice the home side was relieved to see the ball fly past a post as Rangers hung on for another narrow victory to add to last week's late, late defeat of Motherwell.

Teams

Rangers: Klos, Ross, Khizanishvili, Moore, Vanoli (Ball 80), Capucho, Ricksen, Nerlinger, Lovenkrands, Arveladze, Mols (de Boer 62).

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Hutton, Namouchi.

Booked: Capucho.

Goals: Nerlinger 13.

Livingston: McKenzie, Rubio, Andrews, Dorado, McNamee, Makel, Lovell (Pasquinelli 69), O'Brien, McAllister, Lilley (Brittain 80), Fernandez.

Subs Not Used: Main, Quino, Scott McLaughlin.

Booked: Lilley, McNamee.

Att: 48,638

Ref: I Brines (Scotland).