The lights at Ibrox were blinding on Friday night. Honestly, if you weren't there, the atmosphere felt like a pressure cooker finally blowing its lid. Rangers just dismantled Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup fourth round, and while some might say "it's only Annan," the manner of the win says a lot more about where Danny Röhl has this team heading.
Rangers 5, Annan Athletic 0. That was the final Rangers football club score on January 16, 2026. It wasn't just a win. It was a statement. The Gers are playing with a kind of freedom we haven't seen in a couple of seasons, especially following that massive 3-1 win at Celtic Park earlier this month.
Breaking Down the Recent Rangers Football Club Score
People keep asking if this run is sustainable. Look at the numbers. Since the calendar flipped to 2026, Rangers have been on a bit of a tear.
- January 3: Celtic 1-3 Rangers (A massive statement at Parkhead)
- January 6: Rangers 2-0 Aberdeen (Clinical at home)
- January 11: Aberdeen 0-2 Rangers (Back-to-back wins against the Dons)
- January 16: Rangers 5-0 Annan Athletic (Scottish Cup dominance)
Youssef Chermiti is starting to look like the £8 million player everyone hoped for. He bagged a brace in the Glasgow Derby and followed it up with relentless pressure in the cup tie. But it's not just the new faces. James Tavernier, the captain who just keeps going at 34, still finds his way onto the scoresheet or the assist column almost every week. He’s got five league goals this season, which is kinda wild for a defender, even by his standards.
The Danny Röhl Effect
Let’s be real for a second. When Russell Martin left in October, things looked shaky. Danny Röhl stepped into a locker room that was talented but seemingly stuck in second gear. Now? They’re playing this high-intensity, vertical game that is exhausting to watch, let alone play against.
📖 Related: The Eagles and Chiefs Score That Changed Everything for Philadelphia and Kansas City
The squad is younger. Mikey Moore, the 18-year-old loanee, looks like a genuine superstar in the making. His goal against Celtic wasn’t just a tap-in; it was a drive from the edge of the box that showed zero fear. That’s the "Röhl effect" in a nutshell—fearlessness.
Where Rangers Stand Right Now
If you look at the William Hill Premiership table, it’s a dogfight. Hearts are leading the pack with 50 points, but Rangers and Celtic are breathing down their necks, both sitting on 44 points. Rangers have 12 wins and 8 draws, and only 2 losses.
Eight draws. That’s the sticking point.
If the Rangers football club score had turned just three of those draws into wins earlier in the season, they’d be clear at the top. They have the best defensive record in the league alongside Hearts, conceding only 17 goals in 22 matches. Jack Butland has been a wall. Without him, those draws might have been defeats.
👉 See also: The Detroit Lions Game Recap That Proves This Team Is Different
Europe is the Elephant in the Room
While the domestic form is red hot, the Europa League has been... difficult. 33rd place in the league phase is not where this club wants to be. A 1-1 draw with Braga and a tough 0-2 loss to Roma at Ibrox back in November still sting.
They have Ludogorets coming up on January 22. It’s a home game. It’s a "must-win" if they want any hope of progressing. The contrast between their domestic swagger and European struggles is the biggest riddle Röhl has to solve.
Looking Ahead: The Schedule
The games are coming thick and fast. You’ve basically got a game every three or four days for the rest of the month.
- January 22: Ludogorets (H) - Europa League
- January 25: Dundee FC (H) - Scottish Premiership
- January 29: FC Porto (A) - Europa League (This one is going to be brutal)
The trip to the Estádio do Dragão at the end of the month will likely define their European season. Porto are a different beast, especially at home. But given how Rangers handled the atmosphere at Celtic Park, you’d be a fool to count them out entirely.
✨ Don't miss: The Chicago Bears Hail Mary Disaster: Why Tyrique Stevenson and Bad Luck Changed a Season
What to Watch for in the Next Match
Watch the midfield transition. Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande have formed this partnership that is sort of the engine room for everything good right now. They win the ball and it’s gone—forward to Chermiti or Moore within two touches.
Also, keep an eye on the fitness of John Souttar. He’s been vital, but he’s played a lot of minutes. With the intensity Röhl demands, rotation is going to be key to keeping this momentum alive.
To stay on top of the title race, Rangers need to keep turning dominant performances into three points. The gap to Hearts is manageable, but there is zero margin for error. If you're following the title race, the most actionable thing you can do is watch how they handle the Dundee match following a high-stakes European night. That's usually where the slip-ups happen. Check the squad rotation for the January 25th fixture; if Röhl rests more than three starters, expect a tighter game than the odds suggest.