The post-mortem into Rangers’ frustrating 2-2 draw against Dundee at Dens Park is well underway, with defensive lapses coming under sharp scrutiny following the end of the Light Blues’ seven-game winning streak across all competitions.

Ahead of kick-off, there was significant talk about Dujon Sterling and his spectacular form as Rangers’ starting right-back this season. The former Chelsea defender earned lavish praise from manager Derek McInnes, who declared he would back Sterling in a one-on-one battle against almost any opponent.

However, despite his impressive form and his 100th appearance for the Ibrox club coming at Dens Park, Sterling found himself squarely under the spotlight for a costly lapse in concentration during the late stages of the first half at Dens Park.

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

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Daily Mail journalist blasts Dujon Sterling for lazy defending in Dundee vs Rangers

In the 37th minute, Dundee launched a long, hopeful ball directly into the Rangers danger area. Sterling appeared unusually slow to react as Ashley Hay gathered possession before making a tentative attempt to deal with the threat.

His weak clearance did little to help, as the ball fell straight into the path of Bradley Fink, who rounded Ivor Pandur to put the ball in the back of the net and give the hosts the lead.

Writing in his Sunday column on the Daily Mail, the newspaper’s Scottish chief sports feature writer John McGarry singled out the 26-year-old for his puzzling lack of urgency when dealing with a routine ball into the Rangers penalty area.

McGarry wrote: “Dujon Sterling has been praised to the hilt of late and rightly so. The day before, his manager said he’d back him against anyone in a one v one. What the full-back was thinking of when Dundee sent a long ball into his area shortly before half-time, only he could say.

“Slow to react as Ashley Hay gathered, Sterling’s belated action was to meekly knock the ball into the path of Bradley Fink. The Swiss made short work of rounding the keeper and deservedly edging Dundee ahead.”

McGarry went on to describe the goal as part of a sequence of “comedic defending” during a chaotic afternoon on the road for McInnes’ side. While spectacular goals from Badredine Bouanani and Nicolas Raskin turned the game on its head, another uncharacteristic error from Dan Neil ultimately allowed Dundee to snatch a point through Callum Jones.

For Sterling, the incident stands out precisely because his overall displays in a Rangers shirt have been so consistently strong, especially this season. Since arriving at Ibrox, the Englishman has proven to be one of the squad’s most dependable and tactically flexible operators across multiple defensive and midfield roles.

Nevertheless, as McInnes and his coaching team analyse the dropped points ahead of a busy schedule, tightening up those crucial moments inside the penalty box will be paramount.

Sterling remains a key pillar of the Rangers defence, but his first-half hesitation at Dens Park serves as a stark reminder of how ruthlessly mistakes are punished at Premiership level.