THE cliche goes that in the end, all that truly matters is Rangers picking up three points.

And while it's true to an extent, the pressure that has built after a 7-1 thrashing by Liverpool will have hardly dissipated on the back of a largely flat afternoon's action in North Lanarkshire against Motherwell.

A 2-1 victory works in that it keeps the title show on the road and slightly dampens the doom-laden, cracked crest atmosphere pervading on social media.

The first half was a soporific affair where the two clubs barely laid a glove on each other. A combined xG of 0.23 tells the story. Flat doesn't do it full justice, truly 45 minutes of nothingness. Simply, it was an unacceptable level of performance from Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men that threw up far more questions than answers.

The second half was better but hardly convincing. The game turned when Malik Tillman waltzed through the Motherwell defence unopposed from the halfway line. It was a showcase of positive attacking drive from the American kid, but it has to be pointed out that the Steelmen's defending was so inept, he didn't have a single challenge to hurdle. Still, it was another good moment from the Bayern Munich loanee. Tillman looked bashful when asked about the goal, admitting he's suffered in recent weeks and today's performance will stand him in good stead going forward. Clearly a man of few words, he said after the match: "The last few weeks were tough but this is an extreme boost for me." Rangers will certainly hope it proves so and he can continue his steady goal and assist contribution of five in 15 appearances.

If it was the quality of goal to reinvigorate a team then it did not rouse Rangers much as they reverted to type in performance terms. Rather than shake the Ibrox side out of their malaise, the battle of attrition continued.

A near-post John Lundstram header, the first goal from a corner this term, looked to have settled the game at 2-0 before a bizarre Stuart McKinstry free-kick floated over Allan McGregor's head from what can charitably be described as a crossing angle.

It's to the Ibrox men's credit they saw out the final 17 minutes of the match but this will not be a performance many will want to watch back any time soon.

The positives were not voluminous. 18-year-old defender Leon King was excellent alongside the composed, calming figure of Ben Davies who is already looking an inspired signing. The biggest compliment you can give this budding partnership is it made you forget about Connor Goldson - no mean feat. They were rarely troubled or pulled apart despite Kevin van Veen being the second-top goalscorer in the Scottish Premiership to date. 

READ MORE: Giovanni van Bronckhorst says Rangers have to improve 'in every area'

King's ability to find a pass is his stand-out skill, with one long diagonal to Ryan Kent early in the first half so accurate it bordered on the outrageous. After the match he belied his tender years and talked with the authority of a captain: "I know I'm the young one in the team but I'm proud of the players today. We stood up and we were counted and we got the win." Forget Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos, who are looking increasingly like the ghosts of Rangers' past, King is the future and he desperately needs a contract to keep him beyond the 20 months he has left. 

Left unaddressed, this is surely the next big issue that will haunt Ross Wilson, already a man under pressure from the fan base over perceived failures in his summer recruitment. With the likes of Manchester United and Newcastle already reportedly looking at a transfer move, it would be unwise to let King continue to dazzle in the Ibrox shop window without being able to command a price tag that befits his potentially generational talent. 

Those two aside, there were few other positives to mull over, something Giovanni van Bronckhorst essentially admitted after the match when he called for major change going forward.

Asked where he felt improvement needed to come, he admitted: "In every area. The performance today wasn't as convincing as in previous games in the league. We need to improve that."

And the ponderous horseshoe-shaped build-up that many fans have been groaning over was also highlighted.

"In the build-ups in the first half, we couldn't come into the next phase because I think we were not quick or good enough in our build-up to get a free man in midfield," he said. "We were too slow in our passing and movement. In the second half, we were much better and with Steven Davies coming on as an extra No.6, it helped us control the game."

Rangers certainly got the ball moving better once Davis arrived, but it still felt a slightly nervy end, with only a last-gasp Lundstram interception stopping the shipping of more points at the death.

The feeling persists that yesterday was the very type of performance that remains Rangers' biggest domestic problem and will see them lose silly points as the title race hots up in the winter.

For the time being though, the evidence in front of our face shows three more points on the board. It remains the very bare minimum that's expected of such trips.

Mission accomplished then, but only just.