STAND FIRM

Gerrard accepts Glasgow bosses face extra scrutiny

STEVEN GERRARD insists the stick Neil Lennon is taking comes with the Old Firm territory and fully expects to get the same if Rangers’ sensational early season form deserts them.

The Ibrox boss believes his players can handle the weight of expectation that is growing by the week as his unbeaten team heads into another European challenge tonight.

The Premiership leaders take on Lech Poznan at Ibrox aiming to make it six points from six in the Europa League.

And although boss Gerrard is taking his team’s storming start to the campaign - domestically and on the continent - in his stride, he knows the Rangers support is becoming increasingly excited by the form they are showing.

He is equally aware his Celtic counterpart Lennon is under pressure after tw o defeats and a draw in the past week but is adamant dealing with scrutiny is part of the package when managing one of the Glasgow giants.

He said: “We can’t control if people want to raise the bar, raise expectations. We have to just focus on our job in hand and that’s to win as many football matches as we can.

“It’s my job to guard and protect the squad from the noise f rom the outside – whether it be positive or negative.

“You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to work out that whoever’s in the best form tends to get a bit more peace in terms of the scrutiny in the media and the questions fired at you.

“You get a couple of indifferent results and that changes very quickly and the heat comes. That’s the way it is.

“That’s what myself and Neil or myself and Brendan prior to Neil have to live with.

“That’s the job we’re in. It’s never going to change. I accept that.”

FINGERS WILL BE POINTED Steven Gerrard sympathizes with underfire Neil Lennon and accepts abuse could come his way too