Kent insists Rangers will continue to aim high regardless of Euro draw
RYAN Kent last night revealed that Rangers are determined to go all the way in this season’s Europa League after helping to secure their place in the last 16 of the competition for the second season running with a 5-2 win over Royal Antwerp at Ibrox.
Kent scored a well-worked goal to put Steven Gerrard’s side 3-1 ahead 10 minutes into the second-half and Alfredo Morelos, Nathan Patterson, Borna Barisic and Cedric Itten all joined him on the scoresheet.
The winger, whose strike against Braga in Portugal this time 12 months ago sealed a famous last 32 triumph, was delighted both with the incredible 9-5 aggregate triumph and to progress to the next round.
However, the £9m signing is keen for the Glasgow outfit’s European adventure to continue and stressed he is unconcerned about who they are pitted against in the draw in Monaco this afternoon even though Arsenal, Manchester United, Shakhtar Donetsk, Spurs and Villarreal are among their potential opponents.
Asked by BT Sport who he wanted in the draw, Kent said: “I would take anybody. Why not?”
He added: “I said at the start of the season that we entered this competition with ambitions and goals – that is to get further than we did last season. We are not here just to take part in the competition. We want to compete right to the very end. Hopefully we will learn from last season and go even further.
“We work hard on the training pitch to make sure we are very disciplined in all areas. Everyone runs hard for each other, filling spaces when somebody is out of position. You can see we have got a solid back four, we have got people coming in who can fill big shoes as well. It is great.”
Kent, who has taken his tally for the 2020/21 campaign to 10 by netting in three consecutive games, admitted Rangers’ performance up front had been the most pleasing aspect of their comfortable win.
Asked to sum up his emotions after the seven goal thriller, he said: “A bit mixed. Obviously we wanted to keep a clean sheet because we knew we would pro
gress by doing so. But I think we were ruthless in the final third and it was great to come away with so many goals.
“We entered the game with a lot of energy, we knew we could catch them on the counter attack, especially with the front three we have got, Ianis [Hagi] and Buff [Alfredo Morelos] providing opportunities as always. We were ruthless.
“It’s great. From the start of this season it was our aim to build chemistry in every department, in every area of the pitch. There was a lot of emphasis on the front three to create a lot of opportunities in games and more emphasis to put them away. It was very pleasing.
“In recent weeks I have probably been disappointed in the final third. I have been getting into good areas, but the end product has just not been there. But in the past few games I have been able to put them away so I am really happy with that.
“I never lack confidence going into a game. I know I am always going to create chances and get myself in one on one situations. I have probably just been lacking concentration in front of goal. When that is there it is a bonus.”
Meanwhile, Rangers leftback Barisic revealed that he allowed Itten to take the final penalty to boost the Swiss striker’s confidence.
“The gaffer said yesterday if I want to shoot I am going to shoot,” he told BT Sport. “I didn’t have a problem with it. I concentrate and I score and I am very, very happy
“It [Itten taking the final pen
alty] wasn’t agreed. I was supposed to take it, but he asked me. I was thinking that strikers always need confidence and they get confidence when they score goals.
“We are playing football to win the game. It is not about my personal things. So I give it to him so he can get confidence. He deserves it. He trains a lot, he trains hard. I am very pleased for him because it is very good for our team to have players who can score. He was happy.
“I have said it a lot of times this season. I think our biggest thing is our character, not individual players. When we play like a team we are very strong. This situation just showed our character.
“It is a team sport so I always choose to win the game. I am happy for Cedric to take the penalty. We have one more player who has a lot of confidence now.”