Fashion show

Zambian hat-trick hero as Rangers hit Motherwell for six. Pages 46-47 Gerrard puts champions ‘an inch away from perfect’

STEVEN GERRARD reckons Rangers were an “inch away from being perfect” as they extended their lead in the title race with a dominant 6-1 victory over Motherwell.

The champions bounced back from their midweek draw at home to Aberdeen by recording their biggest Premiership win of the campaign as Fashion Sakala hit a hat-trick at Fir Park.

James Tavernier cancelled out a Bevis Mugabi opener and Glen Kamara and Kemar Roofe were also on target to help Rangers move four points clear of Celtic at the top of the table after an encouraging afternoon in Lanarkshire for the champions.

Gerrard said: “It was really emphatic. I thought we played with real quality.

“Obviously we got off to another setback early on but I thought we dealt with that and managed it really well.

“We showed great character to get ourselves back in a good place before half time. Then we just went on...

“That’s been coming. It’s almost been in the post. We’ve been waiting for that performance for some time.

“I thought it was back to our identity and how we wanted it to look for sure.

“You’ve got to have belief and trust in your players. You’ve always got to be honest with them and I always want to be as honest with them as I can.

“At times we haven’t been ourselves. There’s always been an ingredient missing.

“But today is all about the players. They’ve gone out and performed ever so well.

“There is a saying in life – ‘inch perfect’. I thought we were an inch away from being perfect today. All round we were superb.”

Rangers now turn their attentions back to the Europa League as they prepare for their trip to face Brondby on Thursday night.

And Gerrard hopes his side can build on their Ibrox victory over the Danes as the champions set their sights on a place in the knockout rounds.

Gerrard said: “We’ve been ready for Europe anyway. We put in a good performance against Brondby at home.

“We were quite clear that we had to go replicate that with the same kind of performance, show grit and steel and show our qualities at the right time.

“We need to maximise that and win that head-to-head. A little bit of recovery now and then some preparation for a huge game Thursday.”