Gerrard: We need better quality squad

Steven Gerrard said Rangers need January reinforcements after seeing his shot-shy side miss out on the Europa League last 32.

The Ibrox side needed to beat Rapid Vienna in their final Group G clash if they were to follow Villarreal through to the knockout rounds. But a remarkable journey that started on 12 July as they were forced to battle through four qualifiers came to an end as Dejan Ljubicic’s late winner sealed a 1-0 win for the hosts at Allianz Stadion.

Rangers travelled to the Austrian capital without three key men – the injured Ryan Kent, suspended Daniel Candeias and “unsettled” Ovie Ejaria – and their lack of cutting edge in the final third was their undoing.

Gerrard said: “We’ve certainly been tested. As a group, we haven’t helped ourselves with certain situations and suspensions. Injuries have also bit at important times, like with Kent at the weekend.

“To not have Kent and Candeias available affects the group. So we haven’t helped ourselves throughout the campaign.

“In terms of numbers, I think we have had enough to cope. But to compete at this level, with ambitions to go further than the group, it’s obvious to me that the