1: DISCIPLINE REMAINS AN ISSUE FOR RANGERS, AND ALFREDO MORELOS IN PARTICULAR

Rangers have picked up four red cards so far this season, with two of those coming for Alfredo Morelos. His dismissal against Aberdeen was subsequently overturned on appeal, but his fragile temperament was again on display against Ufa as he landed his teammates in trouble with a ridiculous show of impetuousness.

Not satisfied with picking up a cheap booking for booting the ball away, he followed it up by arguing with the referee over the decision and was subsequently sent packing.

Luckily for him, his teammates dug him out of a hole, but it is a shame that in a week when his undoubted talent was recognised with his first call-up to the Colombian national side that the conversation will again centre on his hair-trigger temper.

It could be argued that the sending off was a little harsh, and it could certainly be argued that Jon Flanagan was hard done by as he picked up a soft second booking for using an elbow in an aerial challenge, but it will still concern Steven Gerrard that his players are finding their way into the referee’s notebook with such regularity.

2. OVIE EJARIA IS SETTLING IN

On-loan Liverpool attacker Ejaria was unconvincing in his first few displays for the Ibrox club, looking to be something of a show-pony with his flicks and tricks but little end product to back it all up. His ungainly style didn’t do him any favours either, but suddenly, he looks an altogether more polished performer.

His goal at Motherwell at the weekend may have owed a little to fortune with a rare error from Trevor Carson helping the ball on its way into the net, but there was nothing fortunate about his stunning strike into the top corner against Ufa which gave his side a critical edge in the tie.

He showed another side to his game as well once Rangers were down to 10 and then nine men, putting in a real shift in the middle of the park and doing his best to relieve pressure by holding onto the ball when he had it. Showing real promise now after an indifferent introduction to the Scottish game.

3. RANGERS DEFENCE STILL HAS WEAKNESSES

The work that Steven Gerrard has put into beefing up his backline has rightly been recognised this summer, with just four goals conceded from his first 10 games in charge. The introduction of Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic at the heart of the defence has been instrumental in tightening them up, but there remain some obvious chinks in the armour.

Motherwell exposed them on Sunday and they were again evident against Ufa, with balls in behind causing real problems, particularly at times in the first half in Russia as Rangers held a high line.

They were much better from set-pieces, and when they dropped off to defend crosses in the second half they stood up to the onslaught manfully.

However, when questions were asked of them on the turn and when the ball was being played around them on the deck, they looked a little cumbersome and were grateful on a few occasions for some sloppy finishing from their opponents.

So, as creditable as their defensive record has been so far, it is clearly still a work in progress.

4. PRESSING GAME IS COMING ALONG

When Rangers had their full complement of men, and even when they were down to 10, they were able to pressurise Ufa high up the pitch, pressing in packs and forcing errors from their opponents.

All too often in the early stages, Ufa were forced to go long with Rangers shutting off passing lanes and subsequently mopping up the hopeful punts from deep that were coming their way in the opening 20 minutes or so.

Rangers were so comfortable at that stage and Ufa had no answer to the energetic hounding from the visitors, but that gameplan unfortunately had to be abandoned as the red cards came out.

Even still, the early success of the tactic in the game will give Gerrard great encouragement that what he is preaching on the little time he has had on the training ground thus far seems to be seeping into his players, and they seem to be moving and pressing as a cohesive unit.

5. THESE RANGERS PLAYERS WILL FIGHT FOR THE CAUSE

Given the numerical disadvantage that Rangers were fighting against for such a long period of the game, their resolve to scratch and fight their way to a draw and the promised land of the Europa League group stage was commendable.

You just couldn’t have seen last season’s Rangers side coming through such a test without wilting, and they deserve great credit for standing up to what was a considerable task to begin with, and only got more difficult as the night went in.

Such willingness to put their bodies on the line for the cause was admirable, with the relentless running and energy of Ryan Kent and Ryan Jack in particular hugely impressive.

Their character had been questioned a little following Motherwell’s late equaliser against them on Sunday, but they answered any doubts about their backbone in fine style here.

Their resilience will be tested to the hilt once more against Celtic this weekend, but Rangers supporters will now have a lot more faith in their men to handle the cauldron of Celtic Park than they might have had just a few days ago.