Asked upon his return to Ibrox how his side could yet top the table come the end of this term, Michael Beale pointed to a basic equation.
Over the course of 23 games, there could be no slip-ups from his charges. Coupled with that, they’d need a favour from one of the teams facing Celtic.
After two games of his tenure, Beale’s men are at least keeping their half of the bargain. Never in his wildest imaginings, though, could the Rangers manager possibly have contemplated how that remained the case against Aberdeen.
Scott Arfield struck twice in injury time as Rangers earned a dramatic late win over Aberdeen
When the fourth official raised the board to indicate the number of added on minutes at Pittodrie, the sight of the number seven brought and audible gasp from the home fans.
Their side had heroically come from behind to lead Rangers. They were defending manfully and looked good for a first league win here against the Ibrox men in six years.
Fighting desperately to retain any hope they had of lifting the Premiership, Rangers found inspiration when they most needed it.
The late turnaround saw Michael Beale’s side move six points behind leaders Celtic
Scott Arfield had only been introduced as a substitute before the hour mark but he wrote his name all over the thunderous affair, scoring an equalised in the 95th minute and, remarkably, bundling home a winner two minutes later.
Rangers celebrated wildly and you could understand why. The gap to Celtic is now six points and they are asking the kind of questions Beale wanted.
A run of just eight wins on the road from 17 previous away games in 2022 looks a little better and they will feel now they can further improve upon that when they ravel to Dingwall on Friday.
It will take some time before Aberdeen come to terms with this. Trailing to Fashion Sakala’s early opener, they were second best in the first half but levelled on the stroke of half-time through a spectacular free-kick bu Luis Henriques de Barros Lopes, also known as Duk.
Luis Lopes equalised from Aberdeen with a superb free kick on the stroke of half-time
Second best until that point, Jim Goodwin’s side were much improved thereafter. Leighton Clarkson edged them in front on 53 minutes and they defended manfully thereafter until their legs and their spirit seemed to go in injury time.
Given the flak Goodwin took for loading the sandbags in the defeat to Celtic, there was never any question that Aberdeen would show a greater sense of adventure here. They had to.
Playing in a different postcode to the weekend, their willingness to engage forced some early errors from those in blue but none significant enough to give up the first chance.
The manner in which Goodwin’s side conceded on 12 minutes would have appalled the Dons boss. Threaded in between Hayden Coulson and Liam Scales, Ryan Jack’s pass cut Aberdeen wide open.
Alfredo Morelos read it, gathered and crossed for Sakala. The Zambian’s initial strike was feebly dealt with by Anthony Stewart. Handed a second chance, Sakala stabbed the ball between the legs of Kelle Roos.
Leighton Clarkson had given Aberdeen a 2-1 advantage at the start of the second half
Before the Dons had time to regroup, Malik Tillman deceived Scales on the byline and set up Morelos. Roos was right behind this strike.
Aberdeen worried Rangers with balls delivered from the flanks, none more so than when Jayden Richardson picked out Duk at the far post with the striker heading against the upright.
When Duk’s pace bought him an opening own the left, his delivery fell perfectly for the arriving Ylber Ramadani. There were no excuses for his failure to hit the target from 14 yards.
The price for the Dons’ combative approach was early bookings for Ramadani, Scales and Connor Barron with the names of Ryan Jack and James Sands also entering Willie Collum’s notebook.
Coming on the cusp of half-time, Sands’ transgression was more costly than any. Late on Bojan Miovski as he tried to clear his lines, the American looked every inch a midfielder filling in at centre half.
Duk ensured Sands’ punishment was doubled. His right-footed free-kick flashed up and over the wall and beyond the grasp of Allan McGregor.
The former Benfica man has produced some wondrous moments since moving to Pittodrie but this topped the lot. The power and swerve he got on the ball were just extraordinary. As was the fact he took the long road to the net by going for the far corner.
Arfield came off the bench before the hour mark and made a dramatic impact at Pittodrie
Rangers were entitled to nurse a sense of grievance as they retreated to the dressing room. They were the better team in the first period, their sharp passing and movement repeatedly asking questions.
Beale’s only criticism would have been a lack of cutting edge. Sakala’s failure to hit the target and double their lead after being played in by Ryan Kent was a case in point.
There was more to Aberdeen after the turnaround. More imagination. More bravery on the ball. More controlled aggression.
That willingness to have more of a go turned the game on its head eight minutes in. Sands did not have a good night here. A half-hearted attempt at a clearance presented a gift to Clarkson. The on-loan Liverpool man needed no second invitation and curled the ball beyond McGregor from 18 yards.
This must was clear; At his peak, McGregor might have kept Duk’s effort from landing in his net. At any stage of his long career, he would have been expected to have prevented Clarkson’s shot beating him.
One of a flurry of substitutes Beale made, John Lundstram escaped with a booking for leaving more than a little on Marley Watkins.
Rangers fans celebrated the dramatic turnaround in the final minutes of stoppage time
The Dons understandably dropped deeper as the final whistle loomed. When Arfield could only find the arms of Roos with the goal gaping, you sensed they might get there.
But in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Kent dropped a shoulder and let fly. Roos spilled his shot and Arfield pounced. Game on.
Where Collum got seven extra minutes from, only he could say but Rangers weren’t complaining.
And in the last of those came the most extraordinary finale. Aberdeen had two, maybe three chances to clear their lines but didn’t. Arfield was on hand to clip the ball over Roos.
It was extraordinary stuff. This title race will throw up a few twists and turns yet.
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