King sure manager’s not going anywhere

DAVE KING insists there is a ‘zero per cent’ chance of Steven Gerrard leaving Rangers to become Liverpool manager in the near future as he sets his sights on the Champions League.

Gerrard has delivered a first Premiership title in a decade this term and written his name in Ibrox folklore by clinching Rangers’ 55th league flag.

The Liverpool legend has repeatedly been touted for an emotional return to Anfield to replace Jurgen Klopp and both his contract and that of his German mentor expire in the summer of 2024.

It seems inevitable that Gerrard will become Liverpool manager at some point in his career, but former Ibrox chairman King insists the 40-year-old still has unfinished business at Ibrox.

King said: “I think there’s a zero per cent chance of Steven going to Liverpool in the near future.

“I say that for two reasons. Liverpool as a club don’t abandon their managers very easily.

“Klopp has done a fantastic job, they’ve had a difficult season, but he is still a great manager and I think he’ll still be there next season, continuing to be successful.

“Secondly, Steven is not the type of man to break a contract. Steven extended his contract with Rangers full in the knowledge that it would require winning a title and then defending a title.

“Getting into the Champions League was another obvious target. I don’t think Steven will be satisfied with just winning the league. I know he wants to defend that league title and I know he wants to get into the Champions League.

“From Steven’s point of view spending the next few years at Rangers is going to be good for him, his career and, of course, it will be good for Rangers.

“A move to Liverpool is somewhere down the road and why would Steven want to go to another club? He loves the club, the supporters love him and he has the full support and backing of the board.

“He has a big task ahead of him, defending the league title will be important. It’s important the fans enjoy this moment because it’s been a long time coming, but next season will come around quickly.”

RYAN CHRISTIE confessed that every member of the Celtic squad is hurting after losing the Scottish title to Rangers – but insisted the Parkhead club can bounce back from the “blip”.

The Scotland playmaker is now determined to put the disappointment behind him by helping Celtic to win the Scottish Cup and then reclaim the league next term.

“Every player, not just me, at the club right now is hurting and wants to put things right,” he said. “Everybody has that champion’s mentality. That’s how we got to the position we have over the last four or five years. Everyone is desperate to have that feeling back again, so everyone has that hunger again. We went to put things right and come back.

“For me personally I’m not trying to be selfish. I’m just trying to go into every game and give my all. I’m trying to end the season as well as I possibly can. We have a cup to play for as well, so everybody is desperate to put on their best performance and win that.

“It’s obviously not how we wanted the season to go. We started the season looking to defend our title and we’re all gutted. But we can only look forward now. For us, we don’t see it as it being over, it’s just a blip and we want to come back even stronger and go again.” next effort, bringing a fine diving save from Siegrist low to his right, as the United keeper marked his 100th appearance for the club in impressive fashion.

The second half started as the first ended with Celtic on top, and Stephen Welsh planted a header straight at Siegrist from close range from a cracking Turnbull delivery, before Elyounoussi did the same with a shot from 12 yards.

They were piling on the pressure now, with Callum McGregor flashing a

Scott Bain

6 Denied Ian Harkes twice in quick succession in the first half as Dundee United enjoyed a decent spell. Saved well from Marc McNulty in the second.

Jonjoe Kenny

Got up field well from kick-off. Fired just wide after being supplied by Ryan Christie.

Stephen Welsh

7

7 Allowed McNulty to get in behind him and get a shot away in the first half. That aside, though, he did nothing wrong and an awful lot right.

Kristoffer Ajer

Good on the ball and composed under pressure.

Diego Laxalt 5 Tested Benjamin Siegrist with a powerful volley early on. Struck the side netting later. He should really have hit the target.

Scott Brown

7

6 Headed a David Turnbull corner just over early on. Soldiered on after being kicked in the head by Harkes.

Callum McGregor 6 Pulled the strings in the middle. Pushed up and tried his luck when play allowed him.

Ryan Christie

Has not been at his brilliant best of late. This was far more like it. He was lively and sharp.

6

Mohamed Elyounoussi 6 Laxalt should really have buried his lay-off. Booked for a foul on Ryan Edwards. Had numerous chances to win it.

David Turnbull

Looked capable of creating an opportunity or netting himself whenever he got on the ball. Forced two good saves.

7

Odsonne Edouard

The free-scoring forward was, as always, full of feints and flicks and fancy footwork. There were, though, no goals.

5

SUBSTITUTES

Leigh Griffiths (for Elyounoussi, 85), Tom Rogic (for Turnbull, 62), James Forrest (for Brown, 78).