Who would have imagined, when Cyriel Dessers cast doubt on his future just last week, the Rangers striker would score four goals over the next seven days including one away at Manchester United.
Thanks to a stoppage time Bruno Fernandes finish, and a Lisandro Martinez pass that Paul Scholes would have been proud of, what looked initially like a heroic Cyriel Dessers equaliser ended up being nothing more than a moment of brief joy before a heartbreaking conclusion.
But if Rangers were thinking about selling Dessers this month – and reports suggested they were amid interest from clubs in Italy, France and Spain – the timing and the execution of his wonderful 88th minute strike on the hallowed turf of Old Trafford surely should have had the valiant Glasgow giants reconsidering things pretty quickly.
Cyriel Dessers scores ‘sensational’ goal as Rangers lose at Manchester United
If any performance summed up Dessers’ career with the Gers, it was this.
Replacing Nedim Bajrami with 71 minutes on the clock, the number nine stumbled over a few touches and, at times, casual observers could have been forgiven for wondering if this was another ‘George Weah’s cousin’ sort of situation.
But the goal which drew Rangers level – Dessers spinning Harry Maguire and finishing in devastating fashion – was one that would not look out of place amongst a compilation of the AC Milan legend’s best moments.
What a touch and what a left foot finish,” Rangers icon Ally McCoist said during TNT Sport’s live coverage. “That is superb. Shocking defending [but] he touch and the finish back across the goalkeeper is absolutely first class.”
Dessers has faced no shortage of critics in his year-and-a-half in Scottish football. But 39 goals in 88 games, and five now in European competition, is not a tally to be sniffed at, even if a more polished marksman would have a lot more to show for the chances coming his way.
“Absolutely sensational,” former Ibrox forward Stephen Thompson adds. “For a guy that got slaughtered, the quality of the finish is sublime.”
Dessers shines but Jack Butland gifts Man United an Old Trafford opener
On a mixed night for Philippe Clement’s charges, Dessers more than made his mark away at Ruben Amorim’s inconsistent outfit.
James Tavernier, Robin Propper, Nico Raskin held their own against Bruno Fernandes, Amad Diallo and co too, while youngsters Hamza Igamane and Bailey Rice again proved that there should be a lot for the Gers support to look forward to in the years to come.
On the other hand, Connor Barron struggled in the absence of a suspended Mohamed Diomande. Left-back Jefte had been in ‘brilliant’ form but struggled up against one-time Rangers loanee Amad Diallo.
Nedim Bajrami, last summer’s £4 million marquee addition, also failed to exert any sort of influence on a night in which his opposite number, the indefatigable Fernandes, stepped up deep into time added on.
As for Jack Butland, a few fine stops will not suffice to dispel that second-half howler from the memory. The one-time Red Devil has scored more goals for Man United than he’s played games for them now; Inadvertently punching the ball into his own net to give the hosts the lead in what was the rarest of errors from Rangers’ Mr Reliable.
“Where do I start with that?,” said a baffled Thompson. “It’s just a howler. No excuse for that. That’s a really poor error.
“Jack Butland has got to do better.”
