Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men drew 1-1 against Dundee United at Tannadice this afternoon. A Ross Graham header was cancelled out in the second half by Joe Aribo. Here are some of the key issues from the match.

2 points dropped?

While this match clearly represents two points dropped in the title race, sometimes in the cold light of day, such draws can ultimately still make the difference in a title race. The character and relentless attacking showcased in the second 45 minutes should have been rewarded with much more and this felt like 'one of those days' where variance steps in and makes its presence felt. A glut of missed chances and awful refereeing decisions were pivotal here. There was constant pressure and Rangers were desperately unlucky not to get a deserved win. They showed significant character to get the equaliser from Joe Aribo and pressed incessantly for the winner that would not come against a stubborn and well-structured opponent. It's hard to be too critical of such a performance.

Bobby Madden's big decisions

There's little doubt Rangers were denied a clear penalty when Ross Graham handled the ball in the box after getting in the way of a United clearance. The 21-year-old is clearly trying to get out of the way but the rules are relatively clear you must maintain a natural silhouette in such situations. Graham is simply too late in his attempts to dodge. When the ball strikes, his arm is out and therefore referee Bobby Madden must award a penalty.

To compound a poor performance he also later missed a clear tug on Fashion Sakala as he tried to turn in a loose ball in the six-yard box. It was another clear penalty and likely ensures Madden and the standard of Scottish refereeing becomes a key talking point in the days ahead.

It's tiring to keep repeating the obvious, but Scottish football needs to drag itself out of the dark ages and make VAR a priority for next season.

Filip Helander's ring rust proves problematic

The big defender has been out for months and is entitled to be a touch off the pace given a run-out against Annan was his only preparation for today's game. But he didn't look his usual commanding self up against journeyman striker Mark McNulty from the off. He was booked early in the first half for a mistimed tackle after the former Hibs man rolled him with an excellent first touch. Things were to get worse when he was outmuscled at a corner by Graham, the man who should have conceded a penalty earlier. The youngster nodded home with a powerful header from seven yards. It left a mountain to climb. To be fair to Helander, his second half was much more solid.

Courts' organisation proves difficult to counter

While Rangers had loads of the ball and plenty of opportunities but disrupting the well-organised United block was problematic.  Tam Courts is clearly an able coach who gets the best out of his players given this is the second time this season he’s been able to give this team serious problems through a clever defensive structure and maximising opportunities. Rangers must find a way of being better set up to deal with the threat posed as Dundee gets added to the list of tricky away trips.