Rangers look petrified by home discomforts as Bilbao could boot the door (2025)

Hibs were just the latest side to leave Ibrox with all three points as Barry Ferguson keeps creating unwanted history

One thing’s for sure. Barry Ferguson won’t get the Rangers manager’s job if he can’t win a game at Ibrox.

That’s now three defeats on the bounce at home for the interim gaffer. Motherwell plundered three easy points in Govan, before Fenerbahce won in Europe only to be defeated on penalties.

And on Saturday it was Hibs’ turn to comfortably see off a Rangers side who look petrified at their own ground.

So forget the Old Firm triumph at Parkhead or success on the road at Kilmarnock, Dundee and Istanbul.

If Ferguson and his staff can’t get a tune out of this lot at Ibrox, they won’t be in charge next term. In five of his seven games at the helm they’ve conceded the first two goals.

All of which makes you worry about what Athletic Bilbao might do in Glasgow in the Europa League quarter-final on Thursday night.

But it seems churlish only to talk about Rangers’ failings on Saturday. Because it was Hibs’ and David Gray’s day.

They made it 16 without defeat in the league as they picked up their first win here in five years. And no one can say they didn’t deserve it.

Goals from Dylan Levitt and Martin Boyle sent the travelling support back to Leith ecstatic. Gray has done a phenomenal job given how the campaign started for the Easter Road men.

And after making light work of putting Rangers to the sword, they now look certain to take third spot in the table.

Ferguson would have been looking somehow to find some Ibrox momentum. But they probably couldn’t have hand-picked a more dangerous opponent.

It was the game plan you knew Hibs would adopt in Govan – and the confidence soaring through Gray’s side meant they could carry it out.

They were always going to sit in a back-five without the ball, frustrating Rangers. At the same time, with wing-backs that bomb forward all day, Junior Hoilett’s invention – and the searing pace of Boyle up top – they were certain to test Gers.

Especially if the home side started in their now trademark lethargic fashion. And certainly if their keeper gifted the visitors a goal, as Butland has now done far too often this season.

All of those ingredients made it another poor first half for Rangers. Granted, Hibs scored with their only shot in 45 minutes. But they weren’t exactly hanging on at the other end either.

Ferguson’s team were workmanlike in midfield but devoid of creativity. And although Vaclav Cerny provided his usual threat from the right, there was no balance on the other side with Hamza Igamane proving again he’s no wide man.

The opening goal came after just nine minutes. John Souttar did his job at a Hibs long-throw by heading it clear. But Butland didn’t do his when Levitt returned it with power from the edge of the box.

It was a decent strike – but it should have been a standard stop for the Rangers keeper. Instead, it went through his body to put Gray’s men in front.

If Butland was wonderful in his first season at Ibrox, when he picked up every Player of the Year award going, he has been woeful this term.

Mistakes against St Mirren, Motherwell, Dundee and now Hibs have riddled his campaign. And his latest error gave the visitors something to hold on to. Rangers improved but it felt like the same old story at Ibrox from recent weeks.

Butland cost a goal, Cyriel Dessers missed chances – and they were booed off at the break. The big striker needed 12 attempts to score at Dens Park last week. Here, he failed with three decent opportunities.

Jordan Smith kept his first effort out with his legs. But his next two – after Igamane and Cerny had put him in the clear – were wildly blazed over.

Ferguson resisted the temptation to change things at the break. But his team were just as insipid after the interval.

There was an indifference about this Rangers side. Being a goal down at home with half an hour left doesn’t seem to impact these players. No spark, no jolt, no urgency.

Instead, they were lucky that Josh Campbell mis-hit a golden chance to stretch Hibs’ lead.

Nedim Bajrami, on for struggling Cerny, had a bit of life about him. When he rattled Smith’s crossbar with a shot, it offered the Ibrox punters some hope.

But that evaporated when Gray’s side got their second goal. Rangers’ defence was wide open and Mo Diomande inexplicably let Boyle run away from him while claiming offside.

The Hibs speed merchant raced into the box and stuck it through Butland’s legs. Gers prayed for VAR to rule it out but Boyle timed his run perfectly.

It was his 16th of the season, his best tally yet at Hibs. Incredibly, with Ferguson shell-shocked, Boyle almost made it 3-0 moments later but Butland thwarted him.

Danilo was thrown on up front with Diomande hooked but it made no difference.

The Hibees in the corner celebrated at full-time with Gray’s name being sung to the rafters.

As for Rangers? For the first time in their history they’ve now lost five games at Ibrox on the spin. And it’s hard to see that run ending in midweek.