Rangers’ 2-2 draw with Dundee on Saturday (17 October) night was a painful reality check. Ending a seven-game winning streak in such self-inflicted fashion left supporters questioning the composure and fight within Derek McInnes’ side when the pressure is on.

At the centre of that frustration was Dan Neil. Playing in the heart of the midfield, Neil’s costly second-half mistake allowed Dundee to draw level after Nicolas Raskin had put the visitors in front, squandering two vital points and halting Ibrox momentum.

Yet, at McDiarmid Park in Perth, a forgotten Rangers man was demonstrating the exact qualities that Neil lacked on the evening: desire, drive, and relentless persistence.

Lyall Cameron, who joined Dundee United on a season-long loan from Rangers in the summer, put in a performance against St Johnstone that completely put Neil’s Dens Park display to shame.

Badredine Bouananu was our Man of the Match as Rangers were held to a 2-2 draw vs Dundee

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Rangers loanee Lyall Cameron scores for Dundee United again

Trailing away from home, United needed a spark, and Cameron delivered an “old-fashioned” midfield masterclass. Sensing a quick counter-attack, the 24-year-old burst into the St Johnstone danger area, received the ball from Jesse Randall, took a deft touch on the run, and fought through contact while falling to the deck to fire an unstoppable strike into the back of the net.

Reviewing the footage on BBC Sportscene, former Rangers defender Richard Foster could not conceal his admiration for the midfielder’s composure and sheer determination. He said:

“Fantastic. This is just kind of an old-school midfield role. You see him there; he’s in his own half, he’s deep, he recognises they’ve got the break on. [St Johnstone right-back Enes] Alic gets himself a bit turned round here, and he [Cameron] just bursts. To be fair to the St. Johnstone players, they are trying to get back, they don’t quite make it.

“He takes a brilliant first touch, and even though he’s falling down, he gets a good contact on the ball, and it’s a brilliant finish in the top corner. I thought at the time it was a definite push and it might be called for a penalty, but I don’t think it is. I think he’s just off balance. But great composure there as he’s falling down to get it in.

“The first touch is brilliant as well on the run, and then, the composure to not panic and snatch at it – a great goal for United, very much deserved.”

The contrast between Cameron’s sheer fight to haul his team back into the match and Neil’s lapse of concentration at Dens Park could not be starker. While Neil’s error allowed Dundee to snatch a point and throw cold water on Rangers’ momentum, Cameron’s moment of pure willpower earned Dundee United a valuable result from a losing position.

After making two consecutive SPFL Team of the Week lineups and posting three direct goal contributions in his last three Premiership games, Cameron is proving that hunger and grit are non-negotiable qualities in Scottish football – qualities Rangers fans wish they had seen from Neil and others against Dundee.