Kilmarnock’s winless streak stretched to five games as they were brushed aside 6-0 by Rangers at Ibrox.
James Tavernier opened the scoring eight minutes before half-time, ironically after Killie had enjoyed their only decent spell in the game. The veteran full-back charged beyond Oli Bainbridge to fire home at the back post.
While they impressed at times in the first half, Rangers took it up several gears after the break as they hit five past former Gers keeper Robby McCrorie to record a resounding victory.
Danilo netted from Ianis Hagi’s assist on 53 minutes before Hamza Igamane rifled home from 25 yards a minute later.
Killie never recovered and looked a team utterly bereft of confidence as Rangers took total control. The impressive Nicolas Raskin waltzed through the defence before teeing up Vaclav Cerny for the Ibrox side’s fourth before Cyriel Dessers was introduced 25 minutes from time and duly bagged himself a double.
The defeat leaves Killie just a point above the relegation zone as they head to Tannadice to take on Dundee United at the weekend in desperate need of a result.
Derek McInnes elected to hand full-back Bainbridge his first league start since the opening day of the season. The on loan Sunderland youngster would have an evening to forget as he was at fault for Tavernier’s goal before being hooked at half-time.
The contest quickly settled in to the predictable pattern of Rangers enjoying plenty of the ball while the visitors tried to make themselves difficult to break down. Killie breathed a sigh of relief after just five minutes when Igamane was teed up but the Moroccan blasted wide under little pressure from six yards out.
Fresh off a brace against Nice in the Europa League last week, the striker didn’t let that early miss faze him as he almost curled home a beauty just two minutes later. Cutting in from the left, he looked to bend one into the top corner but was just inches over the bar.
Centre-back John Souttar was next to go close as a Tavernier corner made its way to the back post but the Scotland defender was unable to divert the ball into the net.
To their credit, Killie grew into the game and threatened on occasion. Kyle Vassell nodded over from a free-kick, while they were unable to take advantage of a string of set plays as they looked to silence the Ibrox crowd.
Just as they were enjoying a decent spell, they were behind. A wonderful deep cross from the left flank by Ianis Hagi was turned home at the back post by Tavernier for his first league goal of the season.
They nearly doubled their advantage almost immediately only for ex-Rangers keeper McCrorie to produce a terrific save low down to his left to palm away a neat Danilo flick.
Killie will have hoped to reset at the break, but it was well and truly game over within nine minutes of the restart as the Gers netted twice in as many minutes to wrap up the points.
Danilo made his first start in the league a goalscoring one as he rolled the ball home inside the six yard box after diverting Hagi’s fizzing cross beyond McCrorie. The keeper was helpless once again barely 60 seconds later as Igamane was afforded far too much space before composing himself and finding the bottom corner from 25 yards.
Things quickly went from bad to worse as Raskin danced and jinked with way into the box and through the Killie backline before teeing up Cerny, who duly rolled the ball into the net as the rampant hosts bagged three goals in eight minutes.
Rangers weren’t done yet, either. Just four minutes after coming off the bench, Dessers bagged his 11th goal of the season when he got on the end of Jefte’s cross before doubling his tally and adding a sixth for the Gers less than 10 minutes later. Once again, a ball across goal was turned home with the Nigerian striker offering a composed finish from Tavernier’s assist to add further misery to the travelling Ayrshire fans and round off a woeful evening in Govan for their club.
Rangers: Butland; Tavernier, Souttar, Balogun, Jefte (Yilmaz 74); Raskin (Barron 74), Hagi; Cerny (Dowell 65), Diomande, Igamane (Dessers 65); Danilo (Bajrami 65). Subs not used: Kelly, Propper, King, McCausland.
Goals: Tavernier (37), Danilo (53), Igamane (54), Cerny (61), Dessers (69, 77)
Kilmarnock: McCrorie; Wright (Burroughs 42), Mayo, Deas; Armstrong (Polworth 62), Lyons, Ndaba, Watson (Wales 62), Bainbridge (Murray 45); Watkins, Vassell (McKenzie 62). Subs not used: O’Hara, Mackay-Steven, Cameron, Anderson.