“There are certain SPFL games away from home where you know you’ve got to hustle, you’ve got to grind, you’ve got to fight, do the ugly bits.”

Steven Gerrard’s summation of what type of game Rangers knew to expect at Dens Park was an accurate underpinning of the environment within which another three points were gained.

The hosts could feel justifiably aggrieved to not pick up a draw and Rangers’ defending caused anxious inhales from their support on occasion. But in the important moments, they won the fights Gerrard references.

Points proceed performances at Rangers, “no one will remember how we got them” was the manager's conclusion.

There was the prospect of difficulty at Dens, but his side looked more in control than the last time they visited the city.

Paul McMullan breaking through to the last line of visiting defence straight from kick-off was a reminder enough that Rangers ought not to aid Dundee's game plan with a lethargic start.

Leigh Griffiths had two reasonably good chances too in the opening half-hour, the first following a corner and the second after Tavernier lost possession cheaply. A direct attacking approach unsettled the visiting defence, but Dundee’s 5-3-2 struggled to cope with the movement of Joe Aribo and Ianis Hagi.

Both fall into the bracket of hybrid players, capable of playing as an '8' or '10' and the hosts were undone by both players' lack of conventionality.

READ MORE: Jon McLaughlin penalty save helps Rangers claim narrow win at Dundee

Hagi changed the atmosphere with a touch of quality in midweek and there was a continuation of his good form throughout today. It was his intelligent touches that sped up attacks, and his movement in the final third that proved difficult to counter.

Joe Aribo’s final ball has been criticised in recent weeks, but a clinical third-man run to exploit space Alfredo Morelos had pulled out of and clipped possession into put him in a perfect position to score.

The goal pulled together plenty of the values this team play with. The ball was moved out wide quickly, the feet of the centre forward were found and the flexibility of Aribo's role permitted him to 'break the rules' and go beyond the defence.

“It is something that we work on a lot in terms of patterns. We like Buff to come down and overload, we scored a very similar goal away at Ross County,” Gerrard told RangersTV.

“That’s what we work on through the week,” was John Lundstram’s admission.

The midfielder played the No.6 role comfortably in the absence of Steven Davis and was involved in the build-up to Aribo’s goal. He was strong in the middle of the pitch and came close to a goal of his own with a left-footed drive.

He told the club channel that he “loved the battle” and that was evident throughout. Lundstram had a difficult afternoon across the street at Dundee United last time out in Tayside but the Liverpudlian is now far more settled and showing why he was such an important target.

Rangers never did extend their advantage and the defence that had shown nerves in the first half was exploited by James McPake’s team in the second.

When McMullan managed to isolate his pace against Connor Goldson following a long ball, he was fouled by Jon McLaughlin to earn a penalty. But redemption was shortly forthcoming - the 34-year-old stopped Jason Cummings’ attempt from 12 yards.

READ MORE: Detailed Rangers player ratings against Dundee as John Lundstram and Jon McLaughlin prove the difference at Dens

If those patterns Gerrard refers to are becoming a welcome regular theme, the move that led to the penalty, combined with an array of other sloppy errors, qualify as the antithesis.

Rangers had shaky moments at the back with the ball and didn't deal with other threats at source, the pressure from the front was again not at the standard needed to protect a high line.

Can the regularity with which the home side caused problems be categorised in the 'battle' narrative? Or is Rangers’ vulnerability to basic offensive tactics a deeper problem? Anyone watching McMullan race away before the penalty would have seen a mirror image to the threat Michael O’Halloran posed at McDiarmid Park earlier in the month.

Winning these type of Premiership matches make Championship-winning teams, but more convincing performances are needed.