STEVIE’SFURY ATMORELOS
FROM BACK PAGE could have gone too after clashing with Scott McKenna and leaving the Dons’ matchwinner needing stitches when already on a booking.
Having spoken to his players the day before the game about the card count, the Scouser was left raging.
Gerrard said: “The first (Morelos) yellow is a little bit soft but it was probably a foul. The second one he deserves. But it’s not important. We’ve got another red card which is hugely frustrating.
“We could have had another one. Lafferty is on a yellow card but he is giving a foul away and gives another. You’re leaving the referee with an opportunity to make it nine.
“We never played with control which I asked all the team to do on Tuesday in a meeting. I’m concerned about it. There is only so much I can do. I’ve made it very clear they are not helping themselves.
“They are making their task a lot more difficult. They are putting more stress on each other, on their bodies.
“We miss key players for important games.
“It’s very difficult for me to back them and protect them 24 hours after a team meeting about controlling discipline.
“It’s very tough for me to take right now as I keep repeating myself before and after every single game about the importance of playing with control and discipline.”
The performance was also sub-standard from Rangers as they fell off the top of the table just three days after getting there.
Gerrard said: “We got the majority of things wrong all over the pitch.
“I never felt once good about anything we did individually or collectively. I RANGERS boss Steven Gerrard will block any attempt by Aitor Karanka to take Joe Worrall back to Nottingham Forest.
Gaffer Karanka is looking into the defender’s loan deal after an injury to Michael Dawson.
But it’s understood Worrall has no recall clause for January in his season-long deal. give the players so much praise and they have done extremely well before this game – we were in a really good place. But this is certainly a big setback and a frustrating one.”
Derek McInnes was left beaming at his Dons’ win three days after losing the Betfred Cup Final.
The Reds boss, whose side drew 1-1 with Gers on the opening day of the season, said: “It was similar to the game at Pittodrie.
“They went down to 10 men and had Morelos sent off. But they had something to hold on to. Thankfully we managed to get an equaliser that day and thankfully Rangers didn’t.
“It’s a real shot in the arm when you see the players put so much in.
“I’ve been on at McKenna because he should be scoring more goals and what a finish it is to get it over Allan McGregor.”
His only disappointment was the 34th-minute red Sam Cosgrove saw.
McInnes said: “I don’t think it was a foul to anyone – if anything it was a foul to us. To deem that a yellow card, having the boy already on a yellow card, I find it astonishing he has been sent off for that.
“He won’t be getting fined. It was a really difficult match to referee, I have to say that.”