Naderi double fires Rangers to top of Scottish Premiership as winning run reaches seven
Ryan Naderi scored a first-half double as Rangers beat Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on 10 October 2026, helping the club extend its winning run to seven matches in all competitions and claim top spot in the league.
The victory represented a turnaround for Rangers after their European exit and a slow domestic start that yielded only one point from their first two Premiership games; the win was their sixth consecutive league victory. The result left Rangers a point clear of Celtic, who visit Motherwell on Sunday aiming to regain the summit, and followed a series of league matches in which Rangers had conceded just once in five games — that lone concession coming from Nicky Clesenco’s late Kilmarnock goal.
Naderi has become a focal point of Rangers’ recent form, scoring three goals in his past two Premiership outings and having netted the winner in a 1-0 victory away to Celtic before the international break. The 23-year-old had struggled for consistent impact after signing from German third-tier side Hansa Rostock in February, registering one league goal last season and two in a League Cup win over Queen’s Park, but his recent return of six goals and three assists has altered perceptions among sceptical supporters.
His emergence has been aided by the absence of injured forwards Lawrence Shankland and Youssef Chermiti, with Naderi contributing decisive interventions beyond his goals. He provided a crucial assist in the late victory over St Mirren when Bojan Miovski scored the winner, has netted match-winners against Motherwell and Celtic, and his two goals against Kilmarnock proved decisive in securing the three points.
Former Rangers forward Peter Lovenkrands offered a comparison on BBC Sportsound, saying: "Naderi at times does things where you're like 'How did he do that?'" He added: "He reminds me a lot of Thomas Muller - he's not nice on the eye at times, but he creates stuff because he's so unorthodox."
Manager Derek McInnes praised Naderi's attitude and role in the side, saying: "Yes, and fair play to him," and: "He's always such an honest boy, he's willing to put defenders under pressure." McInnes also commented on the striker's reliance on service: "I've always felt as a striker that if the ball goes in the box, he'll score his goals. He's not the type of striker that creates a lot for himself, so he needs that service. If we put the ball in the box, as we did in the first half, then he looks a threat. "He's had such a good few weeks. Everybody's so pleased for him. We need someone who would regularly be the goalscorer here at the club."
McInnes acknowledged Rangers were not at their best after the interval, citing fatigue and the length of the international break, saying the second-half display was "far from where we needed to be" and: "This break's been far too long." He added: "But we've got the job done, and credit the players for digging deep and getting three points." Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday told BBC Sportsound: "A lot of my confidence doesn't come from Rangers being brilliant, it comes from Celtic being poor. Rangers are definitely building. They are becoming a much more predictable side - you go into games fancying them to win. "You're starting to see a Derek McInnes side - really solid defensively and creating chances."
Rangers’ position atop the table is a one-point lead over Celtic, who are due to travel to Motherwell on Sunday in a match that could restore them to first place.
