Dundee United boss Jim Goodwin admitted his side were “very lucky” not to be several goals down at half-time as he praised Rangers’ first-half display under interim manager Stevie Smith, before pointing to the shift in atmosphere and mentality that helped United claw their way back.
Goodwin expected a response following the dismissal of Russell Martin and said Rangers looked inspired by a changed Ibrox environment. He said: “We knew the atmosphere would be completely different in the stadium from two or three weeks ago.
“It looked as if the Rangers players responded to that positivity coming from the stands. I thought Rangers were excellent.”
Rangers controlled the opening 45 minutes, with Goodwin openly acknowledging his side “could have been 3 or 4-0 down” if not for poor finishing and strong goalkeeping.
“We were really bad… Rangers picked us off at times,” he said. “We were very lucky to go in at half-time only a goal behind.”
Goodwin then said United came out expecting a Rangers drop in intensity, and admitted they aimed to use the crowd against the home side if they could level the game, he said: “We felt that if we got back on level terms the atmosphere might turn in our favour, and you could sense that anxiety coming from the stands.”
That proved true as Rangers’ second-half energy dipped, allowing United to equalise before going ahead with two long-range strikes.
From Goodwin’s perspective, the turnaround exposed Rangers’ inability to maintain their levels or manage shifts in momentum, a theme echoed post-match by Rangers goalkeeper Jack Butland and interim coach Smith.
“Rangers could have been out of sight at half-time, but once we got one back, it changed the feeling inside the stadium.
“At that point we felt we might go on and win it.”
Goodwin’s assessment aligns with the recurring criticism that this Rangers side crumbles under pressure when momentum swings, especially when the crowd becomes restless.
While praising Rangers’ technical level early in the game, Goodwin’s comments point to a wider issue: a team that starts well but cannot sustain intensity or cope emotionally when challenged.
“Rangers were excellent in the first half,” he repeated. “But when the game became more aggressive, we grew, and that made a difference.”
Harsh but fair words from Goodwin that show, Rangers and in tandem Ibrox are no longer feared by the smaller clubs in the Scottish Premiership, and this is an issue the new manager, rumoured to be ex-Rangers right back Kevin Muscat, must address the second he comes in the door.