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Rangers logo
Scottish Premiership | Gameweek 2
Aug 9, 2020 at 3pm UK
Ibrox Stadium
St Mirren logo

Rangers
3 - 0
St Mirren

McCarthy (23' og.), Morelos (69', 74')
FT(HT: 1-0)

Sheron (25'), MacPherson (68')

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard: "I'm under no pressure to sell players"

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard:
© Reuters
Rangers have recruited strikers Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten but the boss says there is no need to balance the books.

Steven Gerrard insists he does not need to sell to balance Rangers' books.

The boss completed a double swoop earlier this week when he reinforced his striking options with the additions of Kemar Roofe and Cedric Itten.

But that immediately sparked speculation Lille target Alfredo Morelos would finally be allowed to complete his move to France.

It was reported that Rangers had forked out a combined £8.5million to bring Anderlecht's English forward Roofe back from Belgium and Switzerland international Itten from St Gallen.

Gerrard, however, insists those figures are way above the sums Rangers have actually paid for their new strike force.

He also dismissed suggestions he is under pressure to offload Morelos to cover the cost of his summer spending spree, which has also seen Leon Balogun, Calvin Bassey and Jon McLaughlin check in, with Ianis Hagi's loan move made permanent, too.

He told the PA news agency: "The numbers for Kemar and Cedric that have been suggested in the media aren't right. The figures suggested are inflated.

"I've said before we're still looking to add another player in the engine room but there's nothing to report as of yet. We're always looking to strengthen but the majority of our business is done.

"The important thing to know is that along with myself, the board wants this team to get stronger to give us the best possible chance to compete on all fronts.

"I'm under no immense pressure to move people out.

"But I am trying to shorten the squad and get people back playing football.

"I know we're going to receive bids for some of our players but sitting here right now I haven't received a bid that I'm happy with for any of our players so we move along with what we've got."

Itten is likely to be involved against St Mirren on Sunday as Rangers return to Ibrox for their first competitive home fixture since March.

Roofe is short on fitness so may have to wait until next weekend's trip to Livingston to make his bow.

But Gerrard is pleased to see his defensive options bolstered after Filip Helander impressed on his first appearance since suffering a problematic foot injury in December's Betfred Cup final.

The Swede managed the full 90 minutes of Thursday night's Europa League defeat by Bayer Leverkusen and will now compete with Balogun to partner Connor Goldson against the Buddies.

"We have some really strong options at centre-half now and we should have those all over the pitch," said Gerrard. "That's what playing for Rangers should be about.

"Filip's performance on Thursday night was no surprise but he still did ever so well having not played for so long.

"I thought he used his experience, put his body on the line with some really important blocks. He was partnered very well by Connor Goldson and the pair of them looked really good.

"With Filip back now and alongside Leon Balogun and George Edmundson, we've got four strong options at centre-back."

St Mirren have strengthened at the back too this summer after signing former Rangers goalkeeper Jak Alnwick and defenders Joe Shaughnessy, Richard Tait and Marcus Fraser.

Gerrard said: "We know they'll be organised, we know they will set us the challenge of trying to break them down and force the issue.

"But they are challenges we welcome. We started well last week at Aberdeen and now we want to build on that."

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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
CCeltic440092286490
2RangersRangers430184295584
3Hearts412151391267
4Kilmarnock41124543255
5St Mirren41124449-547
6Dundee40044867-1941
Relegation Group
1Aberdeen44004650-447
2Hibernian42025158-745
3Motherwell42025557-243
4Ross County41123665-2934
5St Johnstone40132753-2632
RLivingston42022869-4124
 
First Phase
CCeltic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718


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