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THIS Rangers team would put a valium pill on edge.

But for all the nerves and anxiety around Ibrox, ultimately this was a victory that has Hearts and Celtic sitting nervously.

Danny Rohl’s side did it the hard way, alright.

Around 50,000 fans were made to sweat for these three precious points in the title race.

But the be-all and end-all is that they got the job done to move to the top of the table for the first time in two long years.

It’s over to league leaders Hearts and Celtic now as they head for Livingston and Dundee under pressure to respond.

This was another jittery day for Rangers who put their fans through the wringer with their performance.

Rohl’s side went 2-0 ahead through goals from Ryan Naderi and Dujon Sterling.

But they allowed United back into it with Amar Fatah pulling a one back for Jim Goodwin’s side seconds before half-time.

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Thelo Aasgaard looked like he’d sealed the victory early in the second-half.

But after United sub Zach Sapsford made it 3-2, Rohl’s side were thankful for an outstanding Jack Butland before Bojan Miovski finally put the game to bed.

Rohl watched his side take a two-goal first-half lead.

But even at that stage, the Rangers boss couldn’t have been overly impressed with what he was seeing out there.

The nervousness from the stands didn’t help.

But it was the anxiety out on the pitch that was being preyed upon by Jim Goodwin’s United.

The Tannadice boss cut a frustrated figure as he stood out on the touchline because he clearly sensed an opportunity was there to take full advantage of the pressure the home side were playing under.

At 0-0 the visitors got themselves into some promising positions, too, when they nicked possession and burst forward.

Too often the final ball let them down.

Midfield man Neil Farrugia, in particular, wasted some terrific opportunities.

Ref John Beaton didn’t help the mood in the home end, either, with most if decisions – good and bad – seeing him berated.

It was only when Rangers scored twice that the light blue legions settled down – temporarily.

United keeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer gifted them the opener with a weak save from an Aasgaard shot which was tapped in by Naderi.

Then Rangers’ second came after some dire defending with Aasgaard again involved as Sterling turned the ball into the back of the net.

Don’t think that Aasgaard was terrific in the first-half, though.

Those two goal involvements gives there impression he had an all-action performance in the first 45 minutes but nothing could be further from the truth.

If he hit the first man with a cross once, he did it a handful of times.

But what annoyed Rohl and every home fan more than anything was that United were given encouragement right before half-time.

The all screamed for a free-kick when Mikey Moore was bundled to the ground as he burst forward.

But when Beaton ignored the appeals, midfielder Tochi Chukwuani should have taken one for the team by fouling Emmanuel Agyei as he burst forward.

When he didn’t, it was asking for trouble, which was confirmed when Fatah calmly slotted past Jack Butland.

Suddenly Rangers didn’t have such a comfortable-looking lead to take into the second-half.

It was zero surprise that Rohl made changes at at the break with Andreas Skov Olsen hooked and replaced by Djeidi Gassama after yet another wasted 45n minutes.

Youssef Chermiti also took the place of Naderi, who had a mediocre first-half despite scoring the opening goal.

The big money striker brought an immediate presence to the Rangers attack and almost made it 3-1 with one of his first touches.

That goal wasn’t long in coming, though.

United escaped when Moore had a blasted effort saved by goalkeeper Maynard-Brewer.

But in the 50th minute there was nothing the big Aussie could do to prevent Aasgaard from getting on the scoresheet.

The Norway international managed to get himself in the right place at precisely the right time to guide a pass from Gassama into the bottom corner.

United weren’t helped after that when Maynard-Brewer had to be substituted after appearing to twist his knee.

Rangers looked all set to win comfortably after that.

But they were wasteful in front of goal and didn’t put United away when they should have done.

Chermiti missed a huge chance to make it 4-1 with sub goalie David Richards standing tall to make a top save.

Goodwin went for broke and when sub Sapsford scored United’s second of the game on 72 minutes Ibrox became a nervous place once again.

United were then inches away from making it 3-3 in the dying minutes with Butland turning a header from Iurie Iovu onto the post.