The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Wright says he never doubted his players would battle back
After Saints earn a fighting draw at Ibrox, McDiarmid boss reveals his side were never brought down by run of defeats
RANGERS 0 ST JOHNSTONE 0
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright has revealed that his players did not need to be picked up off the floor following their Celtic setbacks.
Saints bounced back from five straight defeats – including a 5-0 Scottish Cup hammering from the Hoops eight days ago – to claim a much-deserved point at Ibrox on Saturday.
And boss Wright paid tribute to his men for retaining belief throughout their miserable run.
“The boys didn’t need lifting,” insisted the Northern Irishman, whose side almost snatched victory late on when Blair Alston’s lob hit the bar.
“They are good players who wouldn’t let three defeats against Celtic affect them.
“We knew it would be a difficult period and we could have done better but we have more points than this season and the season before.
“When good players play as well as they can, as they did on Saturday, we get results. Nobody would have given us a chance but we believed and had total faith in them.
“Not many teams could take a beating at Celtic then come here in the next game, keep a clean sheet and almost win the game.”
Saints had to deal with some serious selection woes, with goalkeeper Zander Clark calling off on the eve of the game after injuring himself in training.
He was replaced between the posts by veteran Cammy Bell, while they also had to do without crocked duo Michael O’Halloran and Tony Watt.
Bell held the Light Blues at bay to really dent their hopes of challenging Celtic for the Premiership title.
Now Ibrox boss Steven Gerrard fears he may have to do without key Rangers duo Scott Arfield and Ryan Jack for their William Hill Scottish Cup replay with Kilmarnock.
The midfield pair were surprise absentees for the stalemate with Saints as the Gers – already missing suspended top scorer Alfredo Morelos – lacked the inspiration needed to break down Wright’s team.
Gerrard refused to pin the blame for that goalless draw on the fact his big trio were sidelined but the Light Blues badly lacked the energy and power all three provide.
Morelos will be back for Wednesday night’s fifth-round clash with Killie but Gerrard is worried Arfield and Jack will again be forced to sit out the visit of Steve Clarke’s men to Govan.
The Rangers boss said: “Scott Arfield has a chance but Jack blocked a tackle at Kilmarnock last week and twisted his ankle, so he is a big doubt for Wednesday.
“Arfield has a chance – but it’s not a good chance.
“Scott has a couple of dead legs. One of them he actually picked up before the first Kilmarnock game, so he wouldn’t miss a game with a dead leg. It’s more of a flush in a calf muscle.”
Gerrard told his side they can forget about pushing Celtic for the title this season after squandering the chance to put pressure on the Hoops ahead of their Rugby Park trip by slashing their lead at the top to three points.
Realistically, the Scottish Cup remains Gerrard’s last remaining hope of lifting a trophy in his first season at Ibrox.
But regardless of the state of their title race hopes, the Rangers manager expects his players to be fired up for Killie.
He said: “Wednesday is big anyway. Where we are after Saturday’s result probably does mean the replay becomes bigger but a chance to make a quarterfinal should always be exciting.”