He has been under the spotlight for 20 years so Steven Gerrard is not going to be daunted by anything

Arthur Numan was one of the 49,068 inside Ibrox Stadium on Thursday night for Rangers’ Europa League tie against Spartak Moscow.

Despite the 0-0 scoreline, he liked what he saw.

Less than a year ago, the Dutchman had genuine concerns about the direction Rangers were heading in under Pedro Caixinha.

Now, the Ibrox legend is delighted to see the progress being made under Steven Gerrard.

And he fully expects his former club to take another massive stride in their transformation this evening by defeating Aberdeen in the semifinal of the Betfred Cup.

Numan – who won two Trebles during his five years in Glasgow – told The Sunday Post: “I’ve always said you need a strong mentality to cope with being at Glasgow Rangers.

“The focus and spotlight is on you 24 hours a day, and there is no hiding place.

“I thrived on it.

“But, for other people, it can be too much for them and swallows them up. I find that understandable.

“You also need to quickly grasp what the club is all about, and the demands on your shoulders every day.

“To be second best at Glasgow Rangers isn’t acceptable. You need to win – it’s very simple.

He’s a young manager but has impressed me in the way he conducts himself on and off the park

“I’m not sure Pedro Caixinha really appreciated what the expectation levels were, and he was always going to struggle because of that.

“But, in Steven Gerrard, the club has a top operator in the most important position at the club.

“He knows the game of football, commands respect and has exactly the type of personality you need for this job.

“He has been under the spotlight for 20 years at Liverpool and England, and he coped with it superbly well. So he isn’t daunted by anything.

“He’s a young manager but he has really impressed me in the way he conducts himself off the park, and also on the sidelines.

“The really positive thing is that there will be much more to come from him.

“I think he has a terrific future and has the potential to become one of the very best Rangers managers.

“You also look at the way he and his coaching staff have improved the players they inherited.

“James Tavernier is now a much more accomplished footballer.

“Alfredo Morelos is now a biggame player whereas last season there were questions over his ability to score in the top games.

“Andy Halliday has also found a good bit of form after he was questioned last season. Young Glenn Middleton has really caught the eye.

“I then assess the recruitment policy under Gerrard, and most of it has been very favourable.

“When you bring in 11 or 12 new players, it is never easy.

“It is impossible for every one of them to hit the ground running and make an immediate impact in a positive way.

“But you look at the contribution of the Liverpool