Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THE IRON CURTAIN’S NO TROPHY
A PLACE in the history books is pretty sweet but it’s topping the honours list at the end of the season that matters to Borna Barisic.
The Rangers defender wasn’t going to downplay the club starting the season with six clean sheets in a row for the first time ever.
It’s more than a century since Willie Maley’s Celtic achieved the same feat. Barisic knows it’s something worth celebrating after cruising past Hamilton at the weekend to go into the international break at the top of the Premiership.
Goals from Ianis Hagi and James Tavernier were enough to see off Accies but it is the players at the other end who are making the biggest splash for Steven Gerrard (inset).
Barasic said: “We have started the season well and that is now six in a row.
“Breaking the record was very important but it was even more important to win the game.
“The performance was very good. We kept the clean sheet but the team can improve in the final third and score more.
“We created enough chances, we just need to be more ruthless. But the most important thing was we won.”
Rangers didn’t hang about in Hamilton. They got off to a flier and had the game wrapped up inside half an hour.
Accies were more stubborn after the break but it still could – and probably should – have been more than two.
Barisic is relishing his role in Steven Gerrard’s tweaked system. The Croatian international reckons he will be contributing a lot more than the odd spectacular free-kick this season.
Barisic said: “We have changed the style of the team a little bit and I stay very high and wide. When I am closer to the goal it’s easier for me.
“I’ve always said if the team is playing well and keeping the ball, there will be more opportunities for me to create assists or score goals.”