Rangers fans have criticised Steven Gerrard for not using Greg Stewart during Sunday’s League Cup final against Celtic.
The 29-year-old attacker has struggled for game time since joining from Birmingham City in the summer but has impressed when he’s been given opportunities, most recently netting a brace in last weekend’s 5-0 drubbing of Hearts.
Yet, despite calls from supporters for him to be used more regularly after that display, the bluenose hasn’t made it onto the pitch in either of Rangers’ last two games.
The 29-year-old made the squad on each occasion but was left on the bench, despite the Gers needing late goals in both fixtures.
Gerrard did make changes at Hampden when the opposition were reduced to ten men, bringing on Jermain Defoe for Glen Kamara, and Brandon Barker for Joe Aribo.
Yet, if anything, the team created fewer opportunities after those changes and some fans felt Stewart was more deserving of a chance than Barker, in particular.
The manager was forced to use his final substitution to replace an injured Filip Helander in the final stages, ensuring that even if he had wanted to, he couldn’t have introduced Stewart for a late cameo.
Clearly, the thinking was to go with pace by bringing Barker on. Yet, with Stewart registering three goals and four assists to Barker’s one goal and no assists to date this season, he would have every right to feel aggrieved with that decision.
Here’s a selection of reactions from fans who thought Stewart should have been deployed:
https://twitter.com/457ish/status/1203722768602275847
https://twitter.com/GazBear77/status/1203745064779862016
https://twitter.com/johnnyg2307/status/1203722635202445312
https://twitter.com/Cosmos_Ranger/status/1203714410461552640
