Monsoon-like conditions pre-match, a kick-off delayed by 45 minutes and first half disrupted when the players reentered the dressing room early on. Last night’s trip to Dens Park may not have been played in the perfect backdrop but turned into a near-perfect night for Rangers.

Philippe Clement’s men backed up Sunday’s dramatic victory against Hearts with their best performance of the season - something 5.46xG compared to the hosts’ 0.71 confirms. Ryan Jack’s early goal settled nerves and although no second would follow before the break, fluid attacks pre-empted what was to come. Four second-half goals saw Sam Lammers score an outstanding solo effort from 20 yards, Cyriel Dessers find the target from the bench and James Tavernier wrap things up from the penalty spot as a good win became an emphatic one.

It was the scorer of Rangers’ second who stood out, however. Danilo could’ve, and should’ve, had more than one goal but continuing his return from injury and following his winner against Hearts the Brazilian offered his most complete performance for the club yet.

Outside of his well-taken goal, clever assist and activity inside the box, it was the No.99's activity outside of the penalty area which made the difference. In the 75 minutes or so spent on the pitch, the summer signing reminded those watching why so much anticipation followed his arrival from Feyenoord.

If there’s one thing that’s lacked all season in this Rangers team it’s been dynamism up top and in a word, that’s what Danilo provided in many phases - dynamism. Too often the Ibrox side’s attacking play has been characterised by individuals. Slow, lacking connection and obvious threat.

Last night, Danilo was the opposite. Right from the game’s first minute, when he chased down a Dundee kick-off and got his side into the final third, the 24-year-old was a constant menace. Chasing lost causes and providing energy in each phase.

More specifically, it was his constant availability as a passing option through the pitch which made a difference. Even if the forward wasn’t dropping, pivoting and playing balls in behind he was unsettling the Dundee backline with his availability to receive passes and constant opposing threat of sharp runs off the shoulder.

Jack’s early goal was the first clear benefit of Danilo’s movement. All evening Rangers’ centre-backs made good of the room afforded to them by Dundee’s block. The home side chose to mark up passing options rather than pressurise the ball-carrier and early on, Leon Balogun took advantage well.

Here, as he strides forward, the No.27 takes out three opponents before somebody thinks it might be an idea to stop him. In attracting right centre-back Joe Shaughnessy, Balogun makes space for Danilo who duly obliges, quickly darting behind and providing a through ball on the left.

This drags Rickie Lamie, the left centre-back (arrowed), out of position and creates space for three Rangers men to close down Danilo’s shot, initially saved, from a wide angle and open the scoring. It was a strike created by Balogun’s ball-carrying but made by Danilo’s movement.

Notice how quickly he shifts from providing a back to goal option...

...To quickly turn his shoulders and sprint behind. Opponents were caught in between getting tight and keeping their distance all evening as a result.

All throughout, the 24-year-old used the ball wisely. As of late, possession has too often broken down when played into the feet of Rangers strikers but last night, only three of Danilo’s 25 passes did not find their intended target.

Why was that important? It allowed the home side to transition forward quickly from a corner after a moment like this, even when Danilo was surrounded by three men…

...And play through the pitch in settled possession too. Here, Danilo again links with Balogun, this time offering a connecting piece in a third-man combination as John Lundstram strides forward. Taking his centre-back with him and creating space for the “interchangeable positions” often referenced by Clement of late…

...If the centre-back did not follow, the striker dropped in to create a free man in the midfield and helped fashion an overload instead…

Although often simple actions, these moments were key in moving the defence, opening up passing options and changing the attacking picture for the visitors. Or, to borrow language used by Clement of late - ‘Automated movements, interchanging positions and moving to create space for others’.

In the previous two examples, notice the position in which Sima receives the ball, able to drive head-on as opposed to taking a pass with a man at his back. Danilo’s rotations into the midfield created a range of options all evening.

READ MORE: Analysing Danilo with his ex-manager - 'He is a confident and quiet finisher'

It was Arsene Wenger who said the following: “Passing the ball is communicating with another person it’s being in the service of another person. It’s crucial. For the pass to be a good one, the player has to put himself in the position of the person who’s going to receive it. It’s an act of intelligence and generosity, what I call technical empathy.”

Danilo was constantly positioned correctly to link moves, protected by the defender's knowledge that his pace could exploit the space they were leaving to follow him.

The pass map below charts the 22 times that Rangers were successfully able to find the striker - who dropped deep while also taking 13 touches in the opposition’s box.

Although important for his side throughout the pitch, the penalty box is Danilo’s domain and there were plenty of hints of the “quiet movement” his former manager analysed in a recent interview with the Rangers Review.

Just before the half-time break, he ought to have scored; dropping off the front to link play and ghosting behind before hitting the goalkeeper rather than the net.

Over the course, Danilo amassed 1.77xG and reflecting on the game would’ve wanted more than one goal. But on a return back from injury, you have to presume that a greater sharpness will arrive and in the meantime, a striker who is on the end of plenty of chances is a positive sign. As is one who's unfazed by the odd miss. 

It was Danilo’s movement that proved the catalyst for so many opportunities at the top end of the pitch.

We saw two sides of this for the game’s second and third goals. The second was started by Jack winning a header to create this transitional attack and, as Scott Wright drives forward, Danilo checks his shoulder to assess the position of Sima - recognising that he is better placed providing a third-man run behind than a direct passing option. 

Whereas his excellent assist for Lammers’ standout strike saw Danilo initially drop into the midfield before recognising that Lundstram had room to drive forward - there was a need for him to move closer to goal in order to make maximum impact. From here, that “technical empathy” qouted was on show again.

This was only the second Scottish Premiership fixture in which Danilo has started as Rangers’ No.9 and main forward, instead of a role slightly off of Cyriel Dessers. He’s still only played four full 90 minutes in the league, with four goals to show for. With greater sharpness, a more ruthless edge in front of goal should emerge, but they say it’s better to see a striker fail to take chances than get on the end of none together. 

“He is somebody with a killer capacity - he lives to score goals,” Clement said when quizzed on last night’s standout in a press conference last week.

“I want to make him a striker who works hard, not thinking only about the goals although we need that. He has the individual actions to make the difference. We expect him to score goals and do a job for the team.”

On what could’ve proved a tricky night at Dens, Danilo certainly did his job for the team. It may have taken until early November, but the Rangers support are starting to see evidence of why their marquee summer signing can be the No.9 they've lacked for a long time in domestic competition.