Gerrard wants best from defence

STEVEN GERRARD believes Rangers may have to summon the best defensive display of his tenure to hold off Braga and reach the Europa League last 16. The Ibrox side sorely lacked durability in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with St Johnstone as key errors at the back contributed to another damaging result in their fading Premiership challenge. Gerrard (left) revealed he had spoken with Nikola Katic following his woes in Perth and, while declining to confirm whether or not the Croat would start alongside Connor Goldson, is confident he has the character needed to bounce back. Braga are the top scorers in this season’s Europa League and will target all their formidable armoury at overcoming a 3-2 first-leg deficit sustained after a stunning Rangers comeback six days ago. Gerrard knows his defenders must be ready to respond, but also feels responsibility for protecting the advantage extends

throughout the whole team. Asked about Katic and Goldson, the 39-year-old said: ‘I think you are alluding to me giving my team away. ‘Collectively, we are going to have to defend very well. We are going to have to be organised, have the right distances about us. We are going to have to be really tough and make sure the opposition feel us. ‘In saying that, I want us to do it the right way and play with discipline. ‘In no way can we lose our shape or have individuals thinking they can do their own thing. At times in the first half of the first leg, we did that and were punished. ‘We are going to have to probably find our best defensive performance as a group.’ Katic was at fault in the build-up to both of St Johnstone’s goals as Rangers fell 12 points behind Celtic at the top of the league. ‘I have spoken to Niko,’ said Gerrard. ‘He is a good type, the ultimate professional and, to be fair to the kid, for his age, he is one who will take accountability. ‘He will stand up and will never hide. If he’s ever made a mistake for us, his hand goes straight up. ‘I respect and admire that and, as a professional, he’s immaculate.’ On the criticism the 23-year-old has faced since the weekend, Gerrard added: ‘That is part of being a Rangers player. ‘The praise is good when you score the winner at Celtic Park. You have the reverse as people think you are the best thing on the planet and you lap that adulation up. ‘I think he enjoyed that, so you need to take the rough with the smooth. That’s the life of a footballer. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it isn’t. You have to ride the journey out. ‘When it’s up, it’s up. When it’s down, you need to work even harder, reset and regroup.’ Individual mistakes have often undermined Rangers since the turn of the year, with Gerrard keenly aware that maximum concentration must extend through his team in the Municipal Stadium. ‘I don’t think necessarily it was individual errors which cost us in the first leg — it was more about not having the right shape and organisation when the goals happened,’ he said. ‘I think you also have to pay respect to the opposition. The first goal is a wonderful strike and the second involved some really good play on their behalf. ‘But of course, certainly in the Europa League against opposition like Braga, you have to eradicate individual errors.’ Borna Barisic has travelled with the squad to Braga and is set to resume his duties at left-back. The Croat suffered a blow to the kidney during the first leg and sat out the league assignment at McDiarmid Park at the weekend.