It was win but still bust for Rangers as victory at Dundee United failed to hand them a record 10th successive Premier Division title.

With Celtic beating St Johnstone to secure their first championship for a decade, Rangers' misery was compounded by Jorg Albertz's red card with six minutes remaining.

The German, whose 53rd minute penalty proved the winning goal at Tannadice, was punished for aiming a kick at home substitute Steve Thompson.

A parting shot from Brian Laudrup after 31 minutes put the Ibrox outfit ahead before that advantage was doubled with Albertz's spot-kick awarded for a David Sinclair handball.

United drew a goal back after 65 minutes, when Lars Zetterlund's glancing header converted Kjell Olofsson's precise cross, but it mattered little at the finish.

For Rangers manager Walter Smith it was the first time he had entered the last day of the season with the title destiny out of his own hands during his seven years in charge.

That his side recorded the three points they had required beforehand will be scant consolation for his final league match at the helm coincided with the day Celtic took Rangers' crown.

Smith's first title was won on the last day with a home win over Aberdeen in 1991, but his dream of guiding his club to a perfect 10 was beaten by events elsewhere.

It means the Old Firm rivals share the record of nine-in-a-row and it must be considered unlikely that either will ever been overtaken.

Rangers were without Swedish midfielder Jonas Thern and Scotland keeper Andy Goram, while both Ally McCoist and Marco Negri were left on the bench.

The visitors made a subdued start after news of Henrik Larsson's early opener for Celtic filtered through, and United, their Premier Division status assured, looked more relaxed.

David Bowman tested Finnish keeper Antti Niemi in the Rangers goal with a rising 25-yard drive pushed over without real conviction by the deputy keeper.

After 28 minutes, Gary McSwegan should have done better when put through by a precise Craig Easton pass, but snatched at the opportunity and lashed it over the bar.

That miss was punished after 31 minutes when Laudrup marked his final Rangers league game with a typically stylish finish after being released by Lorenzo Amoruso.

The Dane, whose goal at Tannadice last term clinched Rangers' ninth consecutive title, struck a close range angled drive low past Sieb Dykstra as Rangers took control.

Amoruso found Durie after 35 minutes and the forward held off Magnus Skoldmark well, before chipping an effort just wide of the upright.

Five minutes before the interval, surprise selection Stale Stensaas was put clean through on the left by Albertz, but drove his shot straight at home keeper Dykstra's legs.

At the interval, Stuart McCall was introduced for Joachim Bjorklund and the Scotland international midfielder was to make a swift impact.

He burst into the area and sent a cross which hit United substitute Sinclair, on only two minutes earlier for Siggi Jonsson, and a penalty was harshly awarded for handball.

The responsibility for the 53rd minute spot-kick fell to Albertz and he sent Dykstra the wrong way to double the visitors' advantage.

By now Rangers were dominant and a flowing move saw Laudrup pick out Albertz whose low strike was beaten away superbly by Dykstra after 59 minutes.

But United were by no means finished and Olofsson's 20-yard shot was spilled by Niemi, before the keeper recovered to claw the ball away from the onrushing Easton.

After 64 minutes, United did score, Olofsson crossing for Zetterlund to send a glancing header beyond the reach of Niemi.

Yet it was events at Celtic Park which mattered most and when Harald Brattbakk put Rangers' Glasgow rivals two ahead the game in Dundee went flat.

There was still time for Albertz's 84th minute sending-off, a sign of frustration, and Rangers had done enough to win on the day but not, to the anguish of their supporters, over the season.

Teams

Dundee Utd: Dykstra, Jenkins, Malpas, Skoldmark, Jonsson (Sinclair 50), Bowman, Olofsson, Zetterlund (Gill 81), McSwegan, Easton, McLaren (Thompson 75).

Booked: Malpas, McLaren.

Goals: Zetterlund 65.

Rangers: Niemi, Porrini, Stensaas, Gough, Amoruso, Bjorklund (McCall 46), Gattuso, Ferguson, Durie, Albertz, Laudrup (McCoist 66).

Subs Not Used: Negri.

Sent Off: Albertz (84).

Booked: Amoruso, Durie.

Goals: Laudrup 31, Albertz 53 pen.

Att: 14,200

Ref: H Dallas (Motherwell).