Gerrard says bring on big teams in draw

STEVEN GERRARD hopes Rangers are handed a stiff Europa League test this season after clinching a play-off berth in Russia.

The Light Blues progressed through a fourth qualifying tie with a

1-1 draw against Ufa as Ovie Ejaria’s early goal proved enough on the night.

Rangers will discover their group stage opponents when the draw is made today and Gerrard has no fears over what could like ahead for his side.

He said: “I always had one eye on this moment. This was a moment I really wanted to push hard for because it was the first thing we could achieve as a team.

“When you achieve something, it brings confidence, belief and satisfaction. Then you hopefully build on it.

“But that doesn’t mean that everything is perfect now. We’ve got a lot to learn, a long way to go and a lot of building to do.

“I hope the draw is really tough for them. I hope we get big teams and big players and big challenges because that’s where I want my players.

“That’s where Rangers should be. We should be rubbing shoulders with big players, big stadiums, big tests. Why not? Bring it on.

“It will do us no harm. If we play an English team and it doesn’t go how we want it to, it will do my players no harm at all.” Rangers had to dig deep in Ufa after Alfredo Morelos and Jon Flanagan were dismissed in either half.

And Gerrard was full of praise for his players as they stood up to be counted in the face of a Russian onslaught.

He said: “We had our first bump in the road against Motherwell and I could see a few people in the dressing room making noises and sounds and I said to them it doesn’t work like that, you can’t achieve things unless you are strong and you stick together and I think tonight we have become a team.

“I asked for heroes and warriors but they have gone beyond that, I think. It’s some achievement but I want my players to get the credit for it.

“I came in on day one and asked too much from them, every single one of them. But they have given me that and more.”