Stephane Guivarc'h scored his first Rangers goals but in truth this game was won well before he entered the fray.

The new signing from Newcastle was a substitute and must have wondered what he had to do to get in to a team which is capable of scoring goals from all areas.

Radio 5 Live's Roddy Forsyth describes Guivarc'h's goals

He provided the answer himself with Rangers' fifth and sixth strikes as St Johnstone received a stern warning from Rangers at McDiarmid Park.

The side from Perth will have to play much better than this if they are to present a realistic challenge to the Glasgow giants in the League Cup final in three weeks time .

This game was as good as over after 32 minutes when Jorg Albertz made it 3-0 from the penalty spot and Paul Kane was sent off.

Rod Wallace opened the scoring after nine minutes when he forced home a loose ball in the box from close range.

On 28 minutes, it was 2-0 when Jonatan Johanson scored from close range before Albertz struck from the spot.

The second half saw the Guivarc'h double, a trademark goal from Andrei Kanchelskis, and a second penalty from the German.

Scrappy goal

Rangers' went ahead in the ninth minute with a scrappy effort.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst's corner was chested on by Aussie defender Tony Vidmar into the path of Wallace.

The striker - not the tallest of forwards - was allowed to head home from inside the six yard box for his 13th goal of the season.

Saints should have levelled within a minute when Nathan Lowndes found himself through on goal - but he failed to hit the target from 18 yards.

It was a costly miss as Rangers extended their lead courtesy of flying Finn Johanson.

Keeper Alan Main blocked van Bronckhorst's drive but the Finnish international showed razor sharp reactions to notch his ninth of the season.

Then, in the incident which effectively ended the match as a contest, referee Kenny Clark sent Kane off for a deliberate trip on van Bronckhorst.

Albertz made no mistake from the spot.

Training ground moves

After the break, the game took on the appearance of a training session as Rangers stroked the ball around.

There was little threat to their goal, despite Colin Hendry's half time departure after he had sustained a minor knock.

There was a St Johnstone claim for a penalty, but it was all Rangers before Kanchelskis received the ball in his favourite position wide on the right in the 64th minute, .

The Russian darted into the box before letting rip with his left foot to score the type of goal that has become his trademark.

World Cup winner strikes

That was the cue for manager Dick Advocaat to send on his new £3.5m signing and within five minutes Guivarc'h was on the scoresheet.

On 70 minutes, he ran onto a through ball into the box, showed his strength by shielding it from a defender, and then deftly lobbed Main.

Ten minutes later the two second half goalscorers combined for the World Cup winner's second.

Kanchelskis placed a deep cross into the box, and Guivarc'h smashed the ball home for the sixth.

Number seven came from the spot just two minutes later, with Guivarc'h again involved.

Van Bronkhurst was again brought down and Albertz slammed home his second spot kick of the night.

Like Dion Dublin in England the day before, the Frenchman was denied a debut hat trick by a linesman's flag.

St Johnstone: Main, McQuillan, Dasovic, Kernaghan, O'Neil, O'Boyle, Kane, McMahon, Bollan, Dods, Lowndes. Subs: Grant, Griffin, McCluskey, Ferguson, Simao.

Rangers:

Amoruso, Numan, Kanchelskis, Van Bronckhorst, Albertz, Niemi, Ferguson, Wallace, Johansson, Vidmar, Hendry. Subs: Amato, Guivarc'h, Wilson, Miller, Brown.