Rangers did not get the start to the Scottish Premiership season that they were hoping for on Friday night, as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Dundee United.
It seems remarkable that the domestic game is already back, less than a fortnight from the World Cup final, but the SPFL season started anew at Tannadice
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This was the beginning of a new era for Rangers, with new manager Derek McInnes taking charge of the Glasgow side for the first time after his summer move from Hearts.
If Friday’s game is evidence of what is to come, Rangers fans might be concerned.
McInnes’s side were dreary in Dundee, with the hosts taking a deserved lead shortly before half-time through Lachlan Rose.
Thelo Asgaard would rescue a point for Rangers after the break, but this was not a performance that will strike any amount of fear into the hearts of their rivals for this year’s Scottish title.
Marquee signing Lawrence Shankland, who followed McInnes from Hearts to Rangers, started up front, off the back of his World Cup endeavours Stateside with Scotland.
Shankland was dire at Tannadice, with his contributions drawing the ire of fans on social media.
The lowlight was being called for a foul throw just after the hour mark.
Lawrence Shankland highlights vs. Dundee Utd ๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/ZOw5kq5pdD
โ El Stauncho ๐ฌ๐ง (@Clemzer55) August 1, 2026
Shankland plays they win that.
โ You In. ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ๐ (@You_In_1888) July 31, 2026
ย
So minimal were Shankland’s contributions that he broke a hugely unwanted Scottish Premiership record.
Shankland dire as Rangers draw
Lawrence Shankland was virtually anonymous in Rangers’ drab draw with Dundee United on Friday evening – so much so that he ran the lowest distance by an outfield player in an SPFL match in 12 years.
A hat-tip to Celtic fan account ‘History Bhoys Abroad’ on Twitter, who brought this stat from Opta to our attention.
Shankland ran just 2.6km despite playing all 90 minutes, a tally which has been beaten by six goalkeepers since the previous low from 2014.
Lawrence Shankland only ran 2.6km in 90 minutes against Dundee Utd
The lowest for an outfield player in a full SPL match since 2014
6 goalkeepers have covered more distance than that also
โ History Bhoys Abroad (@BhoysAbroad) July 31, 2026
Not exactly the barnstorming impact Rangers fans would have been hoping for from a man who scored 16 goals during Hearts’ near-miss title charge last season.
His manager Derek McInnes was evidently rattled by what he saw on the pitch on Friday, as the new Rangers boss was captured on camera ripping into match referee Nickย Walsh.
McInnes was not alone in thinking that Rangers should have had a late penalty for a clumsy foul on Mohamed Diomande in the dying stages –ย even if a ‘Gers win would have been undeserved.
The Rangers manager did not shake hands with the officials at full-time, instead approaching them in visble anger, in a moment picked up by the TV cameras.
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ pic.twitter.com/BDR4ToNm6K
โ JoeBhoy (@JoeBhoy16) July 31, 2026
McInnes later admitted in his post-match press conference that he had made a mistake in confronting the referee over the Diomande call as he did so.
“I actually went in and spoke to the ref. I shouldnโt have approached him on the pitch. But I did, aye,” McInnes said.
“It was just the playerโs reaction as well. I should have just approached him in the refereeโs room after the game which I did do.”
All is not rosey with Rangers, who could already be on the back foot in the race for the Scottish Premiership title.
Hearts and defending champions Celtic will once again be Rangers’s main rivals for the crown, and both sides are yet to play on the opening weekend.
A trip to Aberdeen is first up for Hearts on Saturday evening, with kick-off at 5:30pm. Celtic’s first assignment is on Monday night against Dundee FC at Celtic Park.