Celts suffer alarming defeat
STEVEN GERRARD claims Rangers are ready to walk tall after watching their rivals stumble in the title chase.
The Light Blues grabbed their most emphatic league win of the season, blitzing St Johnstone 5-1 at Ibrox to move second in the table.
Celtic’s shock 2-1 defeat at Kilmarnock and the failure of pacesetters Hearts to see off Livingston 24 hours before opened the door for the Gers to prosper.
Rangers spread the goals as James Tavernier, Alfredo
Morelos, Scott Arfield, Kyle Lafferty and Daniel Candeias netted to make it just one defeat in 16 games for Gerrard’s new-look side.
The Ibrox boss said: “The results over the weekend – not just Celtic, but Hearts as well – gave us a bit of a spring in our step.
“When we are presented with opportunities like that we have to make sure we’re ready to pounce, especially if we’re off the top.
“Any time someone above us drops points we have to capitalise on that and we did. We were very strong and played some really good stuff.
“There were periods today we looked really dangerous going forward and could have scored a couple more goals.
“We rattled the woodwork a few times but that’s the way we’ve got to be at home. We scored some excellent team goals.
“I have stressed to the players to perform without ego. It’s not about one player – it’s about the team and being emphatic and punishing opposition sides here at Ibrox.
“If someone is in a better position then you set them up. We don’t want anyone to be selfish.
“We were very good, especially on the back of a tough night last week in Spain. It was the exact performance I was looking for.
“We were ruthless at times and played some stunning football, scoring five very good goals.”
Gerrard was able to ring the changes and still see his side prosper as Euro heroes Lafferty, Andy Halliday and Joe Worrall dropped to the bench while Borna Barisic missed out with a hamstring injury.
New boy Gareth McAuley and former Liverpool kid Jordan Rossiter are on their way back ahead of the visit of Ayr in the Betfred Cup quarter-final on Wednesday night, while midfielder Graham Dorrans played another half hour from the bench.
Boss Gerrard added: “I don’t want to make too many changes.
“I’m trying to get the right balance with freshness and energy with players who are hungry to play, so they can lift the lads who are maybe a little bit jaded.
“We won’t be getting carried away. I knew the opening four games of the season would be tough with the way the fixtures fell.
“I looked at these two home games against Dundee and St Johnstone and, with all due respect, I was looking to take maximum points and we have delivered on that.
“Now it’s about getting into a semi-final of the Cup then getting ready to go to a different kind of test at Livingston and making sure we are strong.”
Saints boss Tommy Wright bemoaned the quality of his side’s defending as they fell to their first league defeat since the opening day of the season.
He said: “We made it tough for ourselves. We could have defended a lot of the goals better.
“I’ve been here before and seen my side create fewer chances and still win but Rangers are clever.”