Despite Dundee's best efforts to complete their day, Rangers remain on the brink of the Scottish Premier League title after shrugging aside the limited challenge of Dundee United at Tannadice.

Rangers stood 90 minutes away from their 11th Championship in the past 12 seasons at kick-off knowing if they won and Celtic lost at home to Dundee they would regain the trophy with more than a month of the season remaining.

As it transpired, a nervy Celtic stumbled to a 2-2 draw - but it surely remains a question of when rather than if Rangers are confirmed as Champions, with victory at St Johnstone next Sunday their next aim.

A win was rarely in doubt today once Barry Ferguson had put Rangers ahead after 22 minutes before a fierce Jorg Albertz effort put them 2-0 up by half-time and well in control of their own destiny.

United's last league win was on Sunday December 12 against city rivals Dundee and they could yet find themselves involved in a relegation battle unless they can manage to halt an alarming slump in form.

The home side packed their team with defenders including veteran Maurice Malpas whose 612th league game equalled David Narey's club record - incredibly, his debut was back in October 1981.

Rangers, who brought back Albertz for Tugay Kerimoglu, were given an early lift when the news filtered through that Francisco Luna had put Dundee a goal ahead at Parkhead in the opening minute.

The visitors' first threat of their own making came in the seventh minute when Claudio Reyna played in Rod Wallace for a first-time angled drive which drifted narrowly wide.

Alan Combe fumbled a long range effort from Albertz, grasping the ball at the second attempt, while Ferguson went close from 20 yards after being fed by the busy Reyna.

After 15 minutes, Rangers came within a fraction of moving ahead when Giovanni Van Bronckhorst unleashed a swerving strike from distance which crashed against the bar before rebounding to safety.

United had attacking intentions themselves however and it needed an astonishing one-handed save from Stefan Klos to deny Jim Hamilton's firm goalward bound header from a Jason De Vos cross.

Moments later, another chance was spurned when a De Vos long throw was missed by the Rangers backline only for David Hannah to make a weak connection from point blank range enabling Klos to save.

United were punished for that let-off after 22 minutes when Reyna's inside pass picked out Ferguson who strode forward confidently before stroking it past Combe.

Scotland international Ferguson has too often lacked such composure in front of goal in the recent past, but made no mistake today to ensure Rangers moved in front.

Moments later, Albertz had Combe scrambling across his goal with a powerful drive from distance which fizzed just past the post as United were forced onto the backfoot.

That was the cue for Rangers to become the dominant force, their early scares forgotten, and Combe was forced into more action when Billy Dodds met a Van Bronckhorst cross with his head.

After 42 minutes, Rangers doubled their advantage with a stylishly-worked goal, Reyna instigating the move by releasing Andrei Kanchelskis on the right flank.

The Russian winger's low cross was drilled home via a fine half-volley from Albertz to make it 2-0, the only bad news for Rangers being that Celtic were by now 2-1 ahead against Dundee.

United had to make an immediate impact, but the closest they came was a 48th minute free-kick from Hannah which curled wide of the mark without causing undue concern to Klos.

Rangers made a change on 55 minutes bringing on Seb Rozental for Dodds, while United responded by taking off Tassos Venetis and introducing Jan Telesnikov.

Kanchelskis has emerged as Rangers' form player of late and he came close to making it 3-0 after 62 minutes when he cut inside from the right only for his shot to find the side-netting.

There was an increasingly lifeless feel to the game as all attention turned to Parkhead where the score was now tied at 2-2 between Celtic and Dundee - but it remained that way.

Rangers were denied a third after 77 minutes when Combe reacted superbly to block a Wallace shot, while John McQuillan's lunge prevented the striker netting the rebound.

It had proved an uneventful second half with victory on the day for Rangers a formality by the break. Victory over the season could well be merely a week away at McDiarmid Park.

Teams:

Dundee Utd: Combe, McQuillan, De Vos, Patterson, Malpas, Partridge, Hannah, Venetis (Telesnikov 61), S. McCulloch, McConalogue (Mathie 71), Hamilton (Thompson 71).

Subs Not Used: Gallacher, Pascual.

Rangers: Klos, Reyna, Wilson, Amoruso, Numan, Kanchelskis (McCann 77), Ferguson, Van Bronckhorst, Albertz (Tugay 82), Wallace, Dodds (Rozental 56).

Subs Not Used: Brown, Malcolm.

Goals: Ferguson 21, Albertz 41.

Att: 11,149

Ref: Hugh Dallas (Scotland).