As boos ring out around Ibrox, for once the groans of Rangers fans are not being directed at ex-Liverpool defender Ben Davies.
In a rare Ibrox positive in a month or so of genuine frustration, the big centre-back is emerging as an influential player for Michael Beale after being on the brink of a summer exit.
Signed for a reported £3m rising to £4m from Liverpool last season, injuries, behind the scenes problems and a stark lack of confidence have disrupted the player’s time in Glasgow.
It led to suggestions that Rangers wanted to ship the player out this summer with the likes of Stoke City launching what proved an unsuccessful loan bid on Deadline Day.
But after insisting he wanted to prove himself at Rangers, since returning from injury Ben Davies has looked every inch the quality defender Liverpool once backed him to be.
That’s even if he never made an appearance for the Reds.
Rangers boosted by impact of defender Ben Davies
Looking more robust in the challenge and more commanding in his play, against Real Betis the centre-back was named Man of the Match and not without good reason.
It was a determined display summed up by the centre-back combining with Abdallah Sima – who was eventually awarded the goal – to stab the only strike of the match home.
This was Ben Davies’ stand out performance to date in a Rangers shirt and the defender continued that with another solid showing against Motherwell at Ibrox.
Whilst the fans booed the team off the pitch at full-time, a dreadful display which Ibrox has frustratingly got used to this season, the jeers were not reserved for the ex-Preston centre-back.
Indeed, that Rangers have kept three consecutive clean sheets since the return from the last international break is in no small part down to the emergence of the player.
Ben Davies is forming a formidable centre-back partnership with Connor Goldson and so long as Rangers are not conceding the defender is likely to retain his place.
With Scotland international John Souttar stuttering in the early part of the season, it’s a starting slot that it now looks like Ben Davies’ to lose.
