PLAY IT SAFE
Tavernier won’t be risked as Gerrard seeks cup date
STEVEN GERRARD insists he won’t take any risks with returning captain James Tavernier in the Scottish Cup tie against Celtic — as the Rangers manager waits to find out exactly when the game will be played.
The SFA are in dialogue with broadcasters and clubs about the fourth-round card after it was confirmed that the funeral of HRH Prince Philip will begin at 3pm on Saturday.
That’s just an hour before the Old Firm match was originally due to kick off at Ibrox, with Gerrard hoping rescheduling of the tie to another weekend slot is quickly concluded.
Sidelined since February by a knee injury, Tavernier (right) has stepped up training in recent days and could make a comeback in the last-16 showdown.
Gerrard stresses, however, that the 29-year-old right-back will have to fully prove his readiness in the days ahead.
Speaking after yesterday’s 2-1
win over Hibs, the Ibrox boss said: ‘James has again had a good couple of days since we last spoke and he’s pushing hard to be involved at the weekend.
‘We’ll only do that if he is ready, we won’t force that. He’s been out too long for us to force that.
‘He’ll have to show this week that there’s more progression and get him out amongst the team at some point if he’s to earn a place in the squad.’
Youngster Nathan Patterson will continue at right-back if Tavernier doesn’t make it. Leon Balogun, who started the last Old Firm game in that position, is now on the injury list.
‘Unfortunately, he’s going to be out,’ said Gerrard, who has also still to receive a specialist update on Ryan Jack. ‘We’re still waiting for a scan.
‘He felt a calf/Achilles area yesterday morning and left the training session.
‘But until we get the scan result we won’t be able to know the outcome of that.
‘But he’s limping about, which tells you he has obviously little chance of making next weekend.’
Gerrard confirmed he was still awaiting an update on the tie — due to be screened live by Premier Sports — being moved in the schedule.
‘(I have) no concerns but I’d like to know when it is,’ he added.
‘I think it’s a game we’re very much looking forward to, it’s a mouth-watering tie. Both teams have got a week to prepare going into it, so there’s certainly no excuses from that point of view.
‘We’ll have a day off tomorrow and give the lads the information for the game plan we think can be successful on the day.
‘It will be a tough tie. We’re pleased it’s at home and we want to try to build on our strong home record. We’re certainly looking forward to it but it would be nice to know when it will be.’
Goals from Joe Aribo and Ryan Kent gave Rangers a 2-0 lead yesterday before a Kevin Nisbet header set up a tense finale.
Gerrard was again impressed by Patterson’s display as the 19-year-old — available due to an SFA appeal hearing for breaking Covid rules being scheduled for April 20 — went head-to-head against fellow highly-rated teenager Josh Doig.
‘I thought Nathan was outstanding today,’ said the Ibrox boss. ‘If it wasn’t for Fil Helander, I thought he’d probably have been in contention for man of the match.
‘I was fascinated with that battle down our right-hand side. I thought Nathan was really good. I think Doig is a good player, again with huge potential.
‘Both lads put in a real strong shift but I thought Nathan just edged it, I must say. He will be the more pleased out of the two.
‘But Hibs have got a real good player on their hands. It was a real good battle, it was fascinating.
‘The future is looking bright for Scotland in terms of full-backs because I think those two have got real big chances of going all the way.’
Rangers have now won all 17 home Premiership matches this term and stand just four games away from completing an unbeaten league season.
‘We’re really pleased with our home form stats,’ continued Gerrard. ‘We’ve been really strong and consistent.
‘Again I’m pleased with large parts of today’s performance. I thought for the first half an hour we showed a lot of control, had some real good passages of play and deserved to take the lead. We scored a fantastic goal. Worked it well down the right and then Joe controls the finish well.
‘I thought we finished the first half a little bit open, a little bit passive, so we needed to reset that at half-time — which we did.
‘Then we said to the boys, try to start the second half like you did the first. And then Ryan has obviously scored a world-class goal. It’s another contender for goal of the year.
‘At 2-0, we were cruising, playing with style and looking good.
‘But we never finished the second half well enough either. We became a little bit passive, a bit complacent and we had a few complications at the end.’