A 4-2 win at Fir Park was Michael Beale’s eighth successive league victory away from Ibrox since returning to the club in December.

Although performance levels didn’t match those witnessed at Hibs or Hearts, Rangers were always in control without showing their best face. Their goals had been scored and three points sealed by the time Callum Slattery saw a second yellow card 15 minutes from the end.

“I have been involved in a lot of games for Rangers, not just since I’ve come back, to go away as consistently as we are and score the amount of goals is not a normal thing in terms of what I lived in this club,” Beale said speaking in his post-match press conference.

“I want to praise the boys for their form away from home and finding a way to keep playing and keep winning.”

Although some unwelcome continuity remains with the opposition again working a lead, yesterday’s game in Lanarkshire was all about the team’s development and evolution, as Beale himself would allude to.

Unwelcome old habits, but a positive response

The game’s xG trendline, which charts either side’s opportunities, is demonstrative of the difference seen after the break. Rangers have gone behind at Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Hibs and now Motherwell while still leaving with all three points.

Stuart Kettlewell’s side earned Kevin van Veen a high-value chance (0.81xG) after three minutes and it took their opponents until after half-time to match that level of quality in the final third.

Once Fashion Sakala put his side ahead, even an equaliser didn’t look like derailing Rangers. Just three minutes separated Motherwell’s leveller and the away side’s third of the afternoon. As was the case at Easter Road recently, the attacker's high, narrow positioning spearheaded a perfect response.

Come full-time, the Ibrox side had attempted 28 shots.

Beale’s new plan makes its debut

The manager hinted at a new formation more than once leading into this fixture, speculating on Thursday: “You may see a change of formation where we play with somebody else out there [on the left] as well.”

Sure enough, the final 20 minutes was spent in a back three, with Ryan Kent hugging the left touchline.

“You can see we’re trying out some new things and I thought it was a strong performance,” Beale said after the game.

“We took off two strikers and bring on Alfredo and play Malik with him, which is a slight change and something we have been working on. They came on and contributed well. Ryan Kent then went back more to the side as a classic winger.”

Playing a back three, with John Souttar and Ben Davies as the outside centre-backs, should provide a different option to the broad structure this team generally attack with.

Both players are confident on the ball and can step into the midfield. And while Kent’s upturn in performance can be attributed to his move away from the shackles of the wing, it’s a different option that may be utilised in certain matches.

Variation is important at any level, especially when you’re tasked with finding solutions to break down opponents week after week. If Beale’s side can adopt a greater air of unpredictability, it should only make them stronger.

Tillman and Cantwell's future roles?

Beale’s previous answer suggested another detail worked on behind the scenes, a more advanced role for Malik Tillman.

As the Rangers Review discussed earlier this week, Todd Cantwell’s excellent performances in the midfield position Tillman fulfilled prior to his injury pose a desirable problem, where do they both fit in? On the basis of yesterday, it looks as though the US international could be afforded slightly more freedom.

READ MORE: How Rangers can fit Tillman and Cantwell in the same team

Although the game slowed for the final 20 minutes with Motherwell a man down, there were a couple of early sightings that showed Tillman's role ahead of Cantwell in action, alongside Morelos.

Nothing better demonstrated Tillman’s case for inclusion in the forward line than the fourth goal, a striker’s finish by any metric.

Cantwell joined the box with a run from deep while Tillman remained at the edge of the area, calling for Morelos to cut the ball back.

His first touch was mesmeric, perfectly setting the ball for the emphatic finish that would follow.

A 0.07xG chance became a 0.76PSxG finish. Meaning, Tillman’s quality of strike increased the likelihood of a goal by nearly 70 percent.

Both players have to be in the starting 11 going forwards, this might just be the most likely solution.