DEF & GLUM

Jermain keeps Gers in race but he is then stretchered off

JERMAIN DEFOE warned his team-mates they could not lie down and die in the aftermath of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Hearts.

The 37-year-old resurrected his side’s title ambitions in a game in which Ross County threatened to bury them for good.

Two bits of brilliance – a goal four minutes before the break and a stunning assist for Scott Arfield two minutes after it – returned them to winning ways at Ibrox.

But the joy that followed those moments of magic was replaced by a funereal silence in 57 minutes as Defoe pulled up at the edge of the box before being stretchered off.

Rangers’ veteran talisman writhed in agony under no pressure at all, clutching his hamstring as the majority of the 47,583 crowd held their breath.

It leaves Rangers with only one recognised striker in Alfredo Morelos, putting pressure on Steven Gerrard and his board to find at least one frontman before the window shuts tomorrow.

Morelos, who has been nursing a calf injury, was given the final quarter and almost scored his first goal of 2020 with a clever chip over keeper Nathan Baxter that dropped inches over the bar.

He also fired wide late on after Arfield, the game’s standout performer along with Defoe and Sheyi Ojo, teed him up in the box.

Rangers, though, were happy to settle for a two-goal victory.

The fans’ grumbles began even before the midway point in the first period but Defoe changed the mood with a piece of exemplary opportunism.

A cross from Borna Barisic was knocked into the air by the Staggies defence and Arfield pounced, poking the ball out to the striker on the left fringes of the six-yard box.

Defoe had work to do with his back to goal but created space for a quickfire turn and right-foot shot.

Even though Baxter got a palm to it, the strike was powerful enough to squeeze into the left corner of his net.

Rangers may have been underwhelming for much of the first half but were inspired at the start of the second as they put the game to bed.

Defoe turned architect this time as his brilliant flick from an Ojo pass released Arfield, who ran behind the defence to slide a shot into the corner of the net.

Gerrard punched both his arms into the air in delight at the quality of the goal, so similar to Arfield’s strike against Celtic at the same end of the ground almost 12 months earlier.

However, his hands were buried deep in his pockets, anxiety etched on his face, as Defoe pulled up minutes later and the striker was stretchered off.