Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
WILL JERMAIN DELIVER GOALS TODAY? DEFOE!
FORMER England ace Glen Johnson reckons his pal Jermain Defoe will deliver today in the heat of an Old Firm cauldron.
The pair played together for Portsmouth and England so Johnson knows Defoe’s big-game mentality is perfect for the occasion.
He said: “Jermain loves the big games. Defenders think they have him tied down but he only needs half a chance to score.
“He will like the thought of playing in the derby.
“Jermain will always deliver – he has scored at the highest level. He can go missing for 60 minutes but if he gets a chance he will put it away.”
Johnson, now working as a UEFA Ambassador, insisted Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard was the best player he ever teamed up with but was surprised when he moved into management.
He said: “Steven was a fantastic player and would do whatever was required for the team to win.
“His attitude was top class and I’m sure the Rangers players enjoy working with him.
“I knew he’d become a manager but didn’t think it would happen so soon.
“Rangers were in a mess when he took over and his objective was to steady the ship and just bridge the gap in his first season. But he has got them closer and will now want to kick on.”
Gerrard and Johnson went close to winning the Premier League at Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers in 2014.
Johnson admits he’s a big admirer of the former Celtic boss and said: “Brendan is a good guy and a fantastic coach.
“It was a big move for Brendan to go to Leicester from Celtic. It’s a huge ask for them to get in the top six but if Brendan does it that will be a big achievement.”