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Rangers logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 29
Feb 13, 2021 at 3pm UK
Ibrox Stadium
Kilmarnock logo

Rangers
1 - 0
Kilmarnock

Jack (37')
FT(HT: 1-0)

McKenzie (56'), Tshibola (75')

Steven Gerrard looks ahead to Europa League after Kilmarnock win

Gers are heading for the Scottish title.

Steven Gerrard spoke about a "really exciting time" for Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers after securing another three vital points before turning their attention to Europe.

A terrific Ryan Jack strike after 38 minutes gave the Light Blues a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock at Ibrox and restored their 21-point advantage over Celtic, who have two games in hand.

Boss Gerrard will now start preparing for the first leg of their last-32 Europa League clash against Royal Antwerp in Belgium on Thursday.

He said: "It's a really exciting time for us. We have the chance to go into the last 16 of Europe again.

"This is where the players want to test themselves. It's a really good tie for us. It will be tough but we are ready.

"We'll welcome Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos back (from suspension) into the group which is a lot more healthy than it was a few weeks back.

"We've got options to pick from. It will be a nice break away from the league and we will give everything we have got to try and set it up for the second leg.

"The players should be really excited now and embrace what's in front of them, go and be the best version of themselves.

"If they do, they have a wonderful opportunity to turn this season into a success."

Gerrard insists Rangers will "do our best" to go further in the competition than last season when they were knocked out at the last-16 stage by Bayer Leverkusen.

He said: "We are going to try and attack every game that's in front of us.

"We want to commit to every game, we've got the numbers in the squad and the quality to do it.

"My focus hasn't been too much on Antwerp up until now. I've watched a few games but I'm going to watch an awful lot more between now and Thursday.

"I know they've got a striker suspended for Thursday and one about to come back from injury. I know there has been a managerial change since the draw was made.

"They are flying high in the league, they are second in a strong league for a reason.

"My respect is there for them but we really want to really embrace these two games and give it everything we've got to get into the last-16.

"So our full focus switches to the Europa League now.

"I want the boys to be excited, I want them to bounce over to Belgium and be really confident they can give their best."

Gerrard praised Jack for his 25-yard volley, saying, "any midfielder would be happy with a strike like that" and was pleased  by the response to dropping two points at Hamilton last week.

He said: "We came off ourselves last week in terms of our identity but we bounced back today with another strong win even though the scoreline doesn't suggest that."

New Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright was in charge for only the second time and watched the Rugby Park outfit lose their seventh straight game to be left one point above bottom side Ross County having played a game more.

He said: "I was disappointed at the goal on two points; one, we should clear our lines better and two, it was handball, after the header it hits the Rangers player's hand.

"The official should see that. It was a great finish from Jack, we can't do much about that.

"Whilst there are positives in terms of the effort and work rate and the shape we had was good, ultimately there is huge disappointment that we didn't do enough in the final third."

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Rangers manager Steven Gerrard pictured on January 2, 2021
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Celtic109102932628
2Aberdeen109102091128
3RangersRangers10613158719
4Motherwell105141313016
5Dundee UnitedDundee Utd104331412215
6Kilmarnock103341320-712
7St Mirren113261521-611
8Ross County112541018-811
9St Johnstone113171423-910
10Dundee102351418-49
11Hibernian10145915-67
12Hearts111371218-66


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