STEVIE’S PLEA TO HIS SQUAD

Rangers 1 Kilmarnock 1

STEVEN GERRARD has told his Rangers players it is time they started taking responsibility after insisting they failed to deliver an acceptable response to their Betfred Cup exit.

The Ibrox boss was looking for a big reaction after Sunday’s Hampden defeat to Aberdeen as they welcomed Kilmarnock to Glasgow.

But they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw after Greg Stewart cancelled out Alfredo Morelos’ early opener.

The result sees Rangers remain eight points behind leaders Hearts but drop four behind Celtic and the Gers manager (inset) says it is time his players started showing him more.

Gerrard said: “It was not the result or the reaction I wanted after the weekend.

“It was a six or seven out of 10 and it wasn’t enough to beat a well-drilled Kilmarnock team.

“We knew the onus would be on us to provide the quality. We got the first goal which should have given us a big lift but it never.

“We continued to play slowly. It was a frustrating result and a frustrating performance. I can sit here and protect them all night and take the blame. If that’s what they want then I will.

“But, they are Rangers players. They are the ones who have to go out and deliver and they haven’t. We will all take the blame together but they have to take responsibility at some point.

“It is a concern that it has happened a few times now. I expected a better reaction. I think the fans deserved a better reaction and better performance and they never delivered it.”

Morelos returned after missing Sunday’s 1-0 Dons defeat and immediately produced the spark his side had missed at the National Stadium as he fired a deflected ninth-minute strike past Jamie Macdonald.

But mistakes by Joe Worrall and Jon Flanagan left space for Stewart on the quarter-hour and the Killie frontman - only cleared to play after Killie appealed a notice of complaint issued following an off-the-ball scrape with Hamilton’s Scott Martin at the weekend - took full advantage as he swept a stunning strike home.