A four-goal demolition of Dundee gave Rangers the win they needed to prevent the nightmare scenario of Celtic winning the title at Ibrox next week.

That the Hoops will go on to pick up the pennant has been taken for granted by both sides of the Old Firm divide for a number of weeks now.

But the 4-0 victory over Jim Duffy's side means there will still be a mathematical chance, albeit of slim proportions, for Alex McLeish's side whatever the outcome of the derby showdown.

The Rangers goals came in bursts of two with Peter Lovenkrands and Frank de Boer netting either side of the break and Gavin Rae and Steven Thompson making sure as the final whistle approached.

Rangers had more of the play, created plenty of chances yet still looked like a shadow of the side they were last season.

The first real chance of the game fell to Dundee's Nacho Novo but the Spaniard, who has been linked with both Old Firm clubs, will not want to be reminded of his 10th-minute miss, which turned out to be his side's only real chance.

Rangers captain Craig Moore was culpable in failing to stop a long ball reaching Novo but the speedy striker pulled his shot wide with only goalkeeper Stefan Klos to beat.

Lovenkrands then spurned two chances, first by stealing in ahead of his marker at the back post to poke just wide and then by planting a point-blank header straight at goalkeeper Julian Speroni, who gratefully tipped the ball over.

The latter chance had been fashioned by some sublime play from Ronald de Boer on the left side of the box, with the Dutchman's cross perfect for Lovenkrands to convert from just six yards out.

De Boer had taken a blow to the face earlier on, however, and was replaced by Michael Mols in the 26th minute.

Thompson, who was hoping to impress watching Scotland manager Berti Vogts, forced a save from Speroni with a header that was palmed away low down at the goalkeeper's right-hand post as Rangers turned up the heat.

A goal was coming and, after Dave Mackay had blocked a goal-bound Rae effort and Steven Robb hacked the ball off the line at the back post from a corner, it eventually arrived in the 41st minute.

Dundee finally wilted under the pressure when Frank de Boer sent a header looping towards an unprotected goal and Lovenkrands made sure by blasting the ball into the net from inches out.

The Dane wheeled away to celebrate only to see linesman James Bee's raised flag. Referee Alan Freeland was over immediately to investigate and judged that as the ball had come off Dundee defender Tom Hutchinson in the build-up, there was no offside and the goal should stand.

It took Rangers just three minutes to double their lead after the restart when Frank de Boer netted direct from a free-kick.

Neil Barrett's foul on Rae had earned him the game's first yellow card and the on-loan Portsmouth man could only watch as Speroni got a hand to the 25-yard effort but could not keep it out.

Rangers had made a change at the break, with Bob Malcolm replacing Moore and the newcomer managed to head a Michael Ball corner wide from seemingly unmissable range.

Dundee made a change at the break with Steve Lovell replacing Robb and, in the 53rd minute, Garry Brady came on for Barrett.

A third and final change was made in the 66th minute when Steven Milne replaced Sebastian Kneissl. The German was handed a start on the back of a fine goal against Celtic in midweek but had been utterly ineffectual against the other half of the Old Firm.

Lovenkrands was replaced by Chris Burke two minutes later, with the young winger making a well-received Ibrox comeback following an ankle injury.

The newcomer went on a run straight at the heart of the Dundee defence that ended with a shot that was only just off target.

Rae made it 3-0 in the 81st minute with a thumping drive from just inside the box and Thompson followed up two minutes later by slotting past Speroni after the Dundee backline had been unhinged by a crafty flick from Mols.

The game was also notable for the Ibrox debut of youngster Alan Hutton, who was awarded the man of the match and had been the man who supplied the cross for Thompson's goal.

Hutton filled in ahead of Maurice Ross for the right back position made vacant by the suspended Fernando Ricksen and made an impressive first appearance of the season.

Teams

Rangers: Klos, Khizanishvili, Moore (Malcolm 45), Frank de Boer, Hutton, Hughes, Rae, Lovenkrands (Burke 68), Ball, Ronald de Boer (Mols 26), Thompson.

Subs Not Used: Vanoli, McGregor.

Goals: Lovenkrands 41, Frank de Boer 47, Rae 81, Thompson 83.

Dundee: Speroni, Mackay, Mair, Hutchinson, Hernandez Santos, Fotheringham, Sancho, Barrett (Brady 53), Robb (Lovell 45), Novo, Kneissl (Milne 66).

Subs Not Used: Cameron, Soutar.

Booked: Barrett.

Att: 49,364

Ref: A Freeland (Scotland).