Rangers 3 Dundee Utd 1: Dessers hits landmark goal haul with double.

Rangers won 3-1 at home against Dundee United in their final William Hill Premiership game of the season, with Cyriel Dessers scoring the club’s 50th goal.

In front of thousands of empty Ibrox seats, defender Sam Cleall-Harding headed the Taysiders ahead after 21 minutes, but Dessers equalised five minutes later with a header.

Dessers converted a penalty in the 73rd minute for his 28th goal of the season, bringing his total to a half-century since joining Rangers from Cremonese two seasons ago, before midfielder Nicolas Raskin added a third.

United remained in fifth place after the defeat and will look to secure a European spot in their final game against fourth-placed Aberdeen at home on Saturday.

It could also have been the final home game for Barry Ferguson, the former Rangers captain who took over as manager in February and will remain in charge until the season ends.

Despite reaching the Europa League quarter-finals and losing to Athletic Bilbao, Rangers have endured another dreadful and trophyless domestic season, and they are facing a takeover bid from an American consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and the 49ers Enterprises.

Over the last 48 hours, speculation has grown that 35-year-old Davide Ancelotti, assistant to and son of Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti, who recently agreed to leave Real Madrid for Brazil, will be named the next Rangers manager.

Second-placed Rangers finish the season away to Hibernian on Saturday, and then another rebuilding programme will begin as the club seeks to close the gap on champions Celtic, who are chasing their sixth domestic treble in nine years.

The game had a distinct end-of-season feel.

Jack Butland’s return to goal could be interpreted as a farewell appearance after losing his place to Liam Kelly last month, while striker Hamza Igamane took over for Nadim Bajrami.

United manager Jim Goodwin made four changes, including custodian David Richards making his league debut and Cleall-Harding, Allan Campbell, and Kai Fotheringham joining.

In the 14th minute of a quiet start, Igamane sent a header from 14 yards wide of the far post, his first real shot on goal.

Butland then made a good save on Glenn Middleton’s drive from the same distance, before striker Sam Dalby made an even better stop to prevent the opener.

However, United’s breakthrough was only delayed by a few seconds when 19-year-old Cleall-Harding leapt alone in the six-yard box and headed in a Ryan Strain corner.

Dessers then headed in from a Jefte cross to level.

In the 55th minute, the striker took the ball off a hesitant Richards inside the box but was unable to finish, with Will Ferry clearing the danger.

Dessers went down in the box under pressure from United defender Declan Gallagher, but referee Calum Scott dismissed weak penalty claims, just as he did when Vicko Sevelj tackled midfielder Mohamed Diomande inside the box.

However, the VAR directed Scott to the pitchside monitor, where he pointed to the spot, and Dessers, who had taken over penalty duties from skipper James Tavernier, sent Richards the wrong way.

Two minutes later, winger Vaclav Cerny found Raskin, who slammed a drive high past Richards to seal the win.

Read more on sportupdates.co.uk