STEVIE SAYS CELTIC STILL IN BOX SEAT
STOKE boss Gary Rowett knows his job is on the line. STEVEN GERRARD admits Rangers cannot afford to stand still after their Old Firm triumph if they want to overtake Celtic in the Premiership.
The Ibrox boss masterminded Gers’ first league victory over their bitter foes for almost seven years as his fired-up side smothered the Hoops into submission.
Saturday’s 1-0 triumph – sealed by Ryan Jack’s first-half winner (above) – moves the Light Blues level on 42 points with Brendan Rodgers’ champions, who still have a game in hand.
Gerrard (left), who will fly his side out to Tenerife this week for a winter break training camp, said: “I think that at a club this size you can’t stand still. “You need to keep striving to improve and grow in all areas of the pitch, myself included.
“We need to try and strengthen in certain areas so we won’t stand still and milk this moment.
“We’ll enjoy the win and then we’ll have a rest and get back on the horse and get ready to go again. But we still have a lot of hard work to do.
“Listen, Celtic are still the favourites. They’re still the team to beat.
“I’m not going to sit here and brag because we’ve beat Celtic once. We have respect for the opposition and the other teams in the league.
“It’s a very difficult league and Celtic are still the favourites. But what we have shown today is that when we find a level then we are more than a match for them.”
Winger Ryan Kent returned from a two-month injury lay-off to tee up Jack’s winner and said:
“I’m over the moon. Since I did my first injury I’ve been grafting and I managed to get back in time for an unbelievable game.
“I saw what it meant to the fans and everyone associated with Rangers Football Club, but we can’t get carried away with that.”