Rangers responded to recent domestic frustration in emphatic fashion with a 4-0 demolition of St Johnstone at Ibrox on Saturday, 24 October, but while the collective squad ran riot, midfielder Dan Neil endured a much quieter afternoon.

Following a disappointing 2-2 draw against Dundee at Dens Park last weekend, Derek McInnes’ side were under intense scrutiny to deliver a dominant response in front of their home support. While goals from Kevin Kelsy, Ryan Naderi, and Tochi Chukwuani, along with a stellar performance from Minsu Kim, swept the visitors aside, leadership off the pitch provided the initial spark.

Dan Neil’s passionate rallying cry to Rangers teammates ahead of St Johnstone kick-off emerges

Reporting live from the tunnel area at Ibrox ahead of kick-off, Burke detailed how Neil gathered the squad to deliver a passionate rallying cry to ensure focus remains absolute. He said (via BBC Sport live blog, 15:04 BST):

“As I stood in the Ibrox tunnel waiting to speak to the respective managers, Dan Neil was giving his Rangers team a rallying call before heading out for the warm-up. It’s the kind of thing you normally see before kick-off, but it maybe hints at Rangers’ determination to get back to winning ways after dropping two points at Dens Park last weekend.”

Neil and his leadership in Lawrence Shankland’s absence have been put under the microscope in recent days, especially after his error leading to Dundee’s equaliser at Dens Park last weekend. However, the former Sunderland star’s early intervention underlined the high standards being set within the Ibrox dressing room.

Still, once the whistle blew, the 24-year-old found it harder to stamp his authority on the contest while the rest of the team shone around him. Operating in the heart of midfield, Neil turned in a subdued display that reflected a modest 5/10 score in the Rangers News player ratings, ultimately being replaced by Tuur Rommens in the 69th minute as McInnes freshened up his side.

According to FotMob metrics, Neil completed 24 of his 31 attempted passes at a 77% success rate during his 69 minutes on the pitch. While he injected some progressive thrust with 7 passes into the final third, he did not record any chances created or register a shot, finishing the match with an xG + xA of 0.02.

Defensively, Neil chipped in with 2 recoveries and won 2 of his 4 ground duels, alongside 1 aerial duel won. In contrast, midfield partner Nicolas Raskin won 5 of his 6 ground duels, alongside 2 aerial duels won.

While his influence was limited compared to his dynamic showing in the pre-match tunnel, Neil’s vocal standards off the ball highlight his commitment to the collective cause as Rangers continue their relentless push at the summit of the Scottish Premiership.