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Steven Gerrard refused to go to the stands after the Rangers’ third consecutive win over Celtic, insisting that Saturday’s 1-0 derby win offers no guarantee of league-winning glory.
A break in front of goal saw Celtic captain Callum McGregor deflect a corner into his own goal at Ibrox to open a 19-point chasm at the top of the Premiership table.
While bookmakers moved quickly to cut the Rangers’ title odds to a better price of 1-16, Ibrox manager Gerrard insisted that he will warn his players not to listen to the prevailing opinion that the league career is over.
Steven Gerrard refused to take the stands after the Rangers’ third straight win over Celtic
A break off the goal saw Celtic captain Callum McGregor deflect a corner into his own goal
He said: ‘I would be a liar if I said that we are not going to realize that. Before this game, we were aware of noise.
“But my job is to protect my players and we are not going to gain anything or gain an advantage by listening to the noise and playing with it.
“We need to keep a group together and keep doing the right things. We know it will be difficult. The teams will keep trying to beat us. But we have to remain ourselves.
“Everything we have done this season has put us in this position and we have to keep fighting to stay there. We have not shown in previous years that we can go all the way. So the challenge for us is to stay humble and hungry. “
The goal helped open a 19-point chasm at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
The result was another setback for Celtic and Neil Lennon in their bid for a tenth consecutive title.
To that end, Gerrard refuses to acknowledge the full extent of the gap, instead acting cautiously in referencing all three games in the hand of his rivals.
But fans on Ibrox’s side were not so cautious and gathered outside the clubhouse to celebrate a double over their archrivals with a vibrant and explosive display of flares and fireworks.
In a video on social media, dozens of fans are seen waving their flares on both sides of the street, chanting for joy before a series of fireworks is unleashed.
However, Gerrard admitted that his team had been outmatched by large stretches of Saturday’s game, yet insisted that the Rangers’ good fortune had been earned over the course of his two and a half years in office.
He said: ‘My reaction to the victory is that I am very proud, very happy and satisfied with three important points. Extend our lead to 10 points with where it is.
Gerrard insisted that he will warn his players not to listen to the view that the league career ended
There was no such warning from the Rangers fans who celebrated outside Ibrox after the game.
“Today we play against a really good team. Celtic were excellent for the first 45 minutes and it really took us a long time to establish ourselves in the game. Players deserve to enjoy tonight. It’s another derby win, two out of two this season.
‘We will give them a day or two off now to spend with their families because they have really sacrificed themselves over Christmas. But there are 48 points to play, no one will get carried away, we will keep our feet on the ground.
‘The league starts now for us. We need to restart and really try to get a positive result at Aberdeen. ‘
The game turned into a mistake by Celtic defender Nir Bitton, who was caught on the wrong side of Alfredo Morelos in reaction to a long pass and knocked the Colombian down.
Bobby Madden’s decision to red card the defender was contested by Celtic, but the Rangers made the most of it, scoring seven minutes before bringing the game to a conclusion.
The street was packed with fans on both sides holding flares and chanting in celebration.
Fireworks also went off as Rangers fans celebrated a third straight win over Celtic.
“There was a significant improvement in us from the break to the red card, but these games are about great moments,” Gerrard continued. “Celtic have been very wrong in one and we have capitalized on it and won the game.
“You don’t always get what your performance deserves from this game. We know it more than most. So winning and not being at our best is a very positive thing for me.
‘People will not remember the performance or what happened in the game in the next few months.
“I don’t see many people stopping me on the street now and telling me how good we did in the League Cup final last season, which we never got anything from. So it’s about the result at the end of the day. ‘
The match turned into a mistake by Celtic defender Nir Bitton, who was sent off at Ibrox.
That cup final loss to Celtic in December 2019 offers the most obvious benchmark for Saturday’s game.
“This is not about revenge or revenge,” Gerrard insisted. “The message is that sometimes in football you don’t get what you deserve. That has been the way for many years. Celtic dominated in the first 45 minutes, that’s for sure. You and I know it’s about the result. We are taking three points away from him and that’s all he wanted for today.
‘I didn’t want my team to stand out and lose this match. I’d rather be sitting here in the position that I’m in. For me, it’s not about the balance of power. It’s about us focusing on ourselves.
“It was a great game today. It could have gone one of three ways: It could have stayed the same, we could increase the lead, or they could cut it. This was the result we wanted. For me, it’s about staying in the now and not worrying about what happened before or what’s ahead. ”
Gerrard also reserved special praise for goalkeeper Allan McGregor after the victory.
Gerrard also reserved special praise for goalkeeper Allan McGregor after the victory at Ibrox
The veteran goalkeeper produced the highlight of the game with an impressive save to send Leigh Griffiths’ first-half shot to the post.
McGregor turns 39 at the end of this month, and while Gerrard acknowledges he won’t go on forever, he retains his ability to change and influence the biggest games.
“I was delighted with him,” Gerrard said. “ He got the Man of the Match and it was fully deserved. A couple of saves in the first half were world class. We talk about him a lot after the big games, he tells his own story. You’re talking about a club legend, a phenomenal goalkeeper.
“It is a shame that he is almost as old as I am, because I would love for him to be my guardian for many more years. I’m very proud of his performance today. ‘
At the opposite end of the scale, Gerrard backed winger Ryan Kent to rediscover his best form after his last moderate performance.
Gerrard backed winger Ryan Kent to rediscover his best form after a moderate performance
Liverpool’s £ 7 million buyout has struggled to stay consistent since he made his Liverpool loan permanent in the summer of 2019, but Gerrard insists he maintains real trust in the 24-year-old.
“I spent a lot of money on Ryan Kent because I have a lot of confidence in him. He is a fantastic talent. I still think that it can improve in certain areas and keep growing. But putting him back on the team today was a great show of confidence and respect on my part for Ryan.
“I don’t think he was at his best fluency level today over the course of 90 minutes, but he definitely let Celtic know we have rhythm and a threat.” That’s what he brings to the team.
“ He started the season in great shape, he’s probably drifted away from that a bit. But I wouldn’t be surprised in the coming weeks if he didn’t get back to his best and that’s very important to us. ‘
