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Steven Gerrard has defended Alfredo Morelos amid claims that the Rangers forward should have been sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 win over Dundee United.
The Colombian was cautioned by Steven McLean after his arm connected with the face of center-back Mark Connolly as they challenged for a high ball.
It came after just 12 minutes with the sides tied 0-0 and Gerrard believes it was the right decision.
“I didn’t see an elbow,” the Rangers coach said.
“If you look at it again, there is no elbow there. The referee saw it and fixed it. It was a foul and a yellow card and it has already been resolved.”
Morelos cut a frustrated figure when he was retired with 17 minutes to go and his streak of scoring games has now been extended to six.
The 24-year-old missed a couple of chances at Tannadice, but Gerrard said: “He is not the first center forward this has happened to. They have phases where they are not in top form.
“He’s working hard, he’s doing a job for the team. His complete game is good, maybe he just lacks a bit of confidence in front of goal. I’m sure he will change.”
It was captain James Tavernier who opened the scoring before providing the free throw shot for Connor Goldson’s winner after Liam Smith tied.
“Just ‘wow’ in terms of scoring,” Gerrard said of the right-back’s 17th place of the season. “It is a world-class execution of a free kick.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or who you’re playing for, when you can shoot free kicks like that, it’s world-class moments and he comes back in a big way for the second goal with the assist.”
The Rangers are 13 points clear of current champions Celtic, but Gerrard called for caution.
“We are in December,” he stressed. “It’s a fantastic effort from the players, but it’s about taking each challenge as it comes and this one was really tough today.”
