YOU know what you’re getting with Neil Warnock.

The new Dons boss has been around the block enough to know that a Tuesday night trip to Ibrox for his first game in charge was never going to be a picnic.

Especially when the ‘Gers were just three points adrift of fierce rivals Celtic at the top of the table with a game in hand.

The Yorkshireman is at once both warm and blunt — straight to the point. He likes to call a spade a spade, and at 75-years-old he isn’t about to change his style for anyone.

Nor would we want him to. He watched on from the technical area beside the dug-out with the famous roar from the stand behind deafening him after just seven minutes when Robbi Matondo netted.

But Rangers were stunned into silence right on half time when Bojan Miovski got on the end of a bouncing ball in the box to flick in the leveller.

Todd Cantwell put away the winner in the 72nd minute to give the SPL title race an interesting edge despite Rangers being reduced to 10 men when sub Dujon Sterling saw red late on.

“The lads have set the standard tonight and I think they can raise that. I am pleased with everything they have done and we are disappointed because I think we were close to an equaliser,” said Warnock afterwards.

Aberdeen have been cut disappointingly adrift and while it cost Barry Robson his job, Warnock was able to cast an eye at what he has at his disposal at Pittodrie on only his second day.

He’s hardly had time to bring his kettle in, never mind the tactics board, so he was relying on his motivational methods and legendary man management skills to get a performance out of the underperforming side.

The fact that they drew 1-1 with the Celts at the weekend when Peter Leven had temporary charge must have given Warnock hope — but the defeat slid them down into ninth spot as Motherwell thumped Ross County 5-0.

“I have been in the game a long time but we didn’t really know what to expect having only seen the players for a couple of days. They have answered all the questions. It is my kind of club, the fans were fabulous, the players have given me everything and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” said Warnock.

Dons keeper Kelle Roos parried a Ross McCausland drive into the path of Matondo who swept the loose ball into the roof of the net for the opener and when Tom Lawrence let fly from 25 yards, Cantwell again pounced on a parry by the Dutch stopper to slot it past him.

Rangers manger Philippe Clement has only been in charge of the light blues since October, so the Belgian is hardly a veteran of the Scottish game himself.

“We dominated in the first half, played good football, created chances. They had one opportunity just before half time that was a goal. A moment like that a few months ago would have created tension in the heads of the team, some doubts in the fans also. That is not the case anymore,” he said.