Rangers eased aside Dundee to stay within eight points of leaders Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

Glen Kamara set the ball rolling after four minutes, slotting in at the near post against his former side to record the first club goal of his career.

James Tavernier was the supplier and the captain was next to score.

Alfredo Morelos' finish secured the points within the first 23 minutes and Jermain Defoe added a late fourth as Dundee dropped to second bottom.

Rangers' 13th consecutive win at home against Dundee stretches their unbeaten run to nine games.

Jim McIntyre's side have now conceded four goals in each of their last four games at Ibrox and fall behind Hamilton Academical after their surprise win in Aberdeen.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard had still been smarting at his side's failure to take more than a point at Dens Park in December, despite Dundee playing for most of the game with 10 men.

His team very quickly made amends for what he views as "two lost points" and it was one of those who impressed for the Dark Blues that day who got the ball rolling in Rangers colours this time.

Kamara had been sidelined by Dundee manager McIntyre in January after agreeing a pre-contract agreement to join Rangers before the clubs agreed a transfer fee.

The Finland midfielder has since begun to establish himself in the Rangers team, leading Gerrard this week to describe the £50,000 paid for the former Arsenal trainee as "a bargain".

Gerrard thought Kamara had a point to prove against his former club and so it proved as he latched on to Tavernier's free-kick to score his first club goal.

More regular Rangers scorers were next to get in on the act, Tavernier's simple finish, after goalkeeper Seny Dieng had blocked from Morelos, was his 14th of the season - impressive for a right-back.

Morelos had returned from suspension and was soon back into his scoring rhythm, converting Scott Arfield's cut-back for his 28th goal of the campaign.

As was the case against Hamilton on Sunday, Rangers had killed the game by half-time.

After the break, a Borna Barisic free-kick that struck the crossbar was the closest they came following a series of efforts, until substitute Defoe powered a drive home from 12 yards.

Former Rangers striker Kenny Miller came close to inspiring a consolation goal soon after coming on, but Ethan Robson was unable to finish after the veteran's effort came off goalkeeper Allan McGregor.

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard: "It's another clean sheet, it's another strong win, but there were two sides to us tonight.

"If you compare the first half to the second, it's completely different. We were outstanding for certainly half an hour. In the second half, I didn't really recognise us."

Dundee manager Jim McIntyre: "To give away a goal in the fourth minute from a free-kick was just schoolboy from us.

"After that, I thought Rangers' movement was sensational, they fed off our mistakes. All in all, it wasn't a good night for us."