No two-horse race this term
Road clubs. His team face Aberdeen at Ibrox this afternoon, after the Hoops could only draw 2-2 with Jack Ross’ men yesterday.
With 13 points separating the four clubs at the top, Gerrard believes he’d be foolish to say it’s purely an Old Firm duel.
The Rangers boss said: “I’m sure in the Aberdeen and Hibs camps, they’ll welcome all the spotlight being on the Old Firm.
“Because they can go about their business quietly, find a level and try to stay with us for as long as they can.
“They’re both good teams who have started the season extremely well.
“We certainly won’t be writing anyone off at this stage. We don’t see it as a one, two or three horse race. That’d be disrespectful.
“There’s too much football and too many big games to be played.
“It’s a huge weekend in terms of the table with Cel tic play ing Hibs and our game with Aberdeen. There are big points to play for.
“It’s an exciting time to be involved in the race and we’re looking forward to the challenges ahead.”
Meanwhile, Gerrard has revealed that Rangers deliberately inserted a one-year loan agreement into Ross McCrorie’s Aberdeen move – so that he couldn’t hurt his parent club this term.
McCrorie would have missed the game anyway after a Covid outbreak on Scotland Under-21 duty.
But the first 12 months of his four-year deal was a loan, which was stipulated by Gerrard before agreeing to McCrorie’s switch.
Rangers agreed a similar deal for Jamie Murphy going to Hibs – a one-year loan followed by a one- year contract at Easter Road.
And Gerrard said: “When it’s your players, you want the best deal for you and the club.
“It doesn’t make sense to do deals that support rivals and opposition players.
“So, of course, we wanted the deal that suits us for however long. We had to get the best deal we could.
“It was also a deal between the suits at Aberdeen and Rangers, in terms of the structure and when money gets paid.
“I don’t get involved in that, it’s for other people.
“But from me at the time, I said if it’s happening, it will happen on my terms and Rangers’ terms.”