Gerrard hopes to get new deal in place for Prague hero Mcgregor
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has described Allan Mcgregor as “world class” after the veteran goalkeeper’s heroic contribution to his team’s 1-1 draw away to Slavia Prague last night.
Mcgregor produced a breathtaking save to keep out a 90th-minute header from Slavia substitute Lukas Masopust and give Rangers the advantage going into the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 tie at Ibrox next Thursday.
Gerrard remains hopeful Mcgregor will extend his playing career as the 39-year-old, who is out of contract in the summer, continues to consider his options.
“I’ve spoken about it before, how much we rate Allan, how much we love him here, how much we want him to carry on,” said Gerrard.
“At the same time, I’ve told you guys I will respect him. He knows what’s on the table. He’s in discussions with the club and from where I’m sitting, I just hope we get it over the line and sign him up for another year because he is more than capable. I know that on a daily basis by working with him and watching him closely. The decision is going to be down to Allan, not us. Because we certainly want him.
“I thought there were a few big, pivotal moments in the game and opportunities for both sides to get the winner.
“Allan has come big for us again and it is a top, top save to get it back and drag it back into his grasp. It was another world class save.”
Rangers recovered from the loss of a seventh-minute Nicolae Stanciu goal for the Czech champions with defender Filip Helander grabbing what could prove to be a vital away goal for the newly crowned Scottish Premiership champions, who had spent the beginning of the week celebrating their title win.
“At this stage of the competition it is always important, especially when you are away first, to try and take something from the game and to get an away goal and so to get back in the game is a huge positive,” added Gerrard.
“We will have a lot more quieter week to rest and recoup and it helps us not having a game at the weekend. We need to be at our maximum both physically and technically next week to get this job done.
"We are up against a really good side and you can see tonight why they are at this level as well.
“We were coming up against a team with a fantastic home record, domestically unbeaten. So we knew the challenge was very big against a powerful team who like to play at a high intensity.
“We needed to be ready for that but after the week we had, it was quite tough. Credit to the players, they rolled their sleeves up and dug in.
“After a slow start where we were a little bit second best, the players’ performance was really positive from my point of view. We have put the tie in a real good position and that was always the gameplan before a ball was kicked — can we set it up for Ibrox next week?
“Because we know we are a really strong team at home. We have been there before when we have not got off to a good start but we have a group of players who play with no ego and who stick together.”
Almost 13 years to the day since he made a save regarded by many Rangers supporters as his finest in their club’s colours, Allan Mcgregor produced a moment which may just have eclipsed it.
If those fans are looking for good omens as they nurture dreams of reaching the Europa League final this season, they can certainly draw on Mcgregor’s stunning one-handed stop to keep out Lukas Masopust’s 90th-minute header in the Eden Arena last night.
It preserved a 1-1 scoreline which leaves Steven Gerrard’s side in pole position to progress to the quarterfinals of the tournament, albeit a slick and dangerous Slavia Prague outfit cannot be discounted by any means ahead of the second leg of this round of 16 contest at Ibrox next week.
But just as his inspirational reaction save to deny a close-range effort from Werder Bremen’s Boubacar Sanogo in Germany back in March 2008 was pivotal in helping Rangers into the last eight of the UEFA Cup on a memorable run which took them all the way to the final, Mcgregor may well have conjured up the defining contribution of this tie.
At 39, the former Scotland goalkeeper has arguably been better than ever this season and is a major factor in why newly-crowned Premiership title winners Rangers are now unbeaten in 12 European games since the campaign began.
Mcgregor’s future beyond the summer remains unresolved but this was further evidence of how much of a blow it would be for Gerrard if the veteran is no longer his last line of defence when Rangers go into the Champions League qualifiers next season.
While the oldest player in the Rangers’ side grabbed the headlines, it was also a night when the youngest played an eye-catching role.
For Nathan Patterson, this was the sternest test of his career so far. In only his 10th first-team appearance for Rangers, the 19-year-old rightback passed it with flying colours as he proved just why his manager has long considered him as the heir apparent for currently injured captain James Tavernier.
After the emotionally draining experience of clinching the club’s first domestic title in a decade, it turned out to be a more than acceptable outcome against the Czech champions for Gerrard.
They recovered well from a sluggish start, which saw them fall behind to Nicolae Stanciu’s fine seventh-minute strike, and were ultimately good value for the draw earned by Filip Helander’s valuable away goal nine minutes before half-time. Yet it had looked as if this would be a sobering experience for Gerrard and his players after their heady celebrations last weekend.
Theywouldcertainlyhavefeltmore than gratified to go in level at the interval after a first half dominated by Slavia.
Rangers were uncharacteristically sloppy in possession, giving the ball away far too cheaply and far too often in the opening half hour which was dominated by the slick passing and intense pressing of the hosts.
The signs were certainly ominous when Peter Olayinka slipped a pass inside from the left to Stanciu who had all the time he wanted to manoeuvre himself into position to bend a superb right-foot shot beyond the static and helpless Mcgregor from 20 yards.
Slavia would rue their failure to capitalise on that early breakthrough Jan Kuchta passed up a glorious chance, while Mcgregor saved well from a Lukas Provod free-kick as Rangers rode their luck.
But if they were fortunate only to trail 1-0, this is a side never found wanting in terms of resilience. They steadily and doggedly secured a foothold in the contest with the willingness and intelligent link-up play of Alfredo Morelos dragging them higher up the pitch.
When he won a free-kick in the 36th minute, Rangers took advantage. Borna Barisic’s delivery from the left was knocked back across goal by Connor Goldson before Ianis Hagi cleverly returned it from the left to provide Helander with a close-range tap-in.
The second half saw Rangers return to the kind of performance level we have become accustomed to witnessing in this tournament this season.
With Joe Aribo, largely anonymous before the break, growing in influence there was a better rhythm and greater purpose to their play.
Aribo might have done better than scuff a shot wide after good set-up play from Morelos, while Slavia goalkeeper Ondrej Kolar had to strain himself to make a fine save to keep
out a Ryan Kent shot as Rangers threatened to take the lead.
Goldson then passed up another great opportunity when he mistimed his header from another superbly delivered Barisic free-kick.
Rangers were certainly well worth their draw on the basis of their display in the second 45 minutes but it took Mcgregor’s moment of brilliance in the 90th minute, unquestionably as good a save as any he has pulled off in his exceptional career, to ensure they go into the second leg as firm favourites to reach the last eight.
Masopust will still be shaking his head in disbelief when he wakes up this morning, trying to come to terms with just how Mcgregor managed to claw his precise and powerful downward header off the goalline and clutch the ball safely.