Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has singled out his captain James Tavernier for praise, following Sunday’s 2-1 win over Celtic, as quoted by the Daily Record.
Tavernier led from the front at Parkhead, defending stoutly and driving his team forward with his work on the right flank, as the Gers once again outplayed their arch-rivals.
He and Borna Barisic were two of the top performers, as the quality of Rangers’ full-backs stood out once again.
It’s a testament to Tavernier’s mental strength and resilience that he was able to put in such a strong display.
Earlier in the season, he was hounded by sections of the support following defensive errors which led to dropped points away at Young Boys and Hearts. He also faced scrutiny following three penalty misses over the early months of the campaign.
However, instead of dropping him, Gerrard stuck by his skipper, and he’s successfully pushed through the dip.
“He was outstanding in the game today,” said the Gers boss, as quoted by the Daily Record. “He had a wobble [earlier in the season], a moment all footballers have. There was a dip in form and confidence was affected. He missed a few penalties, had a few bumps.”
“But I gave him the armband for a reason – because I believe he can be a big player. He can help lead big results for this football club.
“I’ve been delighted with his response from the dip in form because he has played himself back into the place where we all know he can be. When he’s at it, he is some full-back.”
Verdict
Tav deserved yesterday’s glorious win after all he’s been through not just this season, but since joining the club way back in 2015.
There have been some real lows at the hands of Celtic since then, but the Englishman has never shied away from the battle.
There’s no doubt he did go through a rut earlier in the campaign, but he was man enough to stand up to it and come through the other side, and there weren’t too many complaints about his leadership yesterday.
A top athlete and superb footballer, the 28-year-old led his side to a momentum-shifting win.
