STRIKER DILEMMA

Gers feeling brand New after a first win for boss

TALENTED teen Liam Burt has signed a new deal with Rangers until the end of next season. The Scotland Under-21 midfielder has made three top-team appearances for the Ibrox side and is highly regarded by his coaches after a successful loan spell with Dumbarton earlier this year. The 19-year-old is one of a group of young starlets expected to push for a first-team place in the new campaign. Serge Atakayi GARY McALLISTER insists Rangers will be ready to rock against Shkupi next week after kicking off their preparations with a win against The New Saints.

Serge Atakayi, Jamie Murphy and Ross McCrorie were on target as Steven Gerrard rolled out different sides in each half against the Welsh champs.

New boys Connor Goldson, Nikola Katic, Jon Flanagan and Scott Arfield all got game time ahead of Friday’s friendly clash with Bury.

Assistant McAllister said: “We are getting very close to the real competitive matches and it’s a great opportunity for the players to use these friendlies just to get that real match sharpness back.

“As we go into the next games, the level of the opponent gradually gets a little bit better before we go in to the Europa League matches.

“Overall we are quite glad with how things are going. I’m looking forward to Friday and I think we are up over 30,000 and hopefully by the time the game kicks off with people walking in too, we should be bouncing at Ibrox.”

Gerrard’s first match in charge started with a bump as Dean Ebbe nodded the Welshmen ahead early.

But Gers’ first-half side levelled through Atakayi three minutes later. Andy Halliday had a penalty saved but Murphy and McCrorie struck as the second-half team secured the win.

Gerrard said: “It’s competitive and it’s an opportunity to put a marker down to me to say, ‘I want one of those shirts, one to 11, I want to play.’

“It’s a big week but isn’t every week when you are the manager of a club this size?”

Michael Gannon 3. 4. 5.