Ryan Naderi double sends Rangers top of the Premiership after 3-1 win over Kilmarnock

Ryan Naderi scored twice as Rangers moved top of the Scottish Premiership with an entertaining 3-1 win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox on Saturday. The German striker twice headed home in the first half — in the 15th and 44th minutes — to take his tally for the season to six goals, with Kevin Kelsy's 24th-minute strike, his first league goal for the club, sandwiched in between.

Ryan Naderi in action for Rangers against Kilmarnock

The victory means Rangers leapfrogged Celtic at the summit, with the champions able to move back top if they get a result at Motherwell on Sunday. It was a sixth consecutive league win for Derek McInnes's side — and a seventh in all competitions — but they were denied a fifth successive clean sheet when the Kilmarnock substitute Nicky Clescenco netted on a last-minute counter-attack.

McInnes would have been less than impressed with his team's second-half display in general, as bottom-club Kilmarnock passed up a series of chances before finally getting their reward. The visitors ended the game with six efforts on target to Rangers' four, although home goalkeeper Ivor Pandur was only seriously troubled once before he was beaten.

Scottish Premiership action as Rangers beat Kilmarnock to go top

Naderi making a habit of decisive strikes

The German has already proved the difference in the biggest fixtures this season. When Naderi's goal gave Rangers a 1-0 win at Celtic Park on 20 September — their second Old Firm victory in eight days — it cut Celtic's lead to two points and made McInnes the first manager since 1991 to win his first two Old Firm games, according to reporting at the time.

Now, with six goals to his name this term and Rangers sitting top of the table ahead of Celtic's trip to Motherwell on Sunday, the title race in Scotland has a genuinely three-sided look to it.