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Rangers manager Steven Gerrard.

'Forget titles' - Gerrard slams 'leaderless' Rangers following St Johnstone draw

The Ibrox boss was disappointed with his side’s showing at Ibrox and believes his charges now have no chance of winning the league.

STEVEN GERRARD HAS told his Rangers players to forget about their title aspirations after dropping points in a 0-0 draw against St Johnstone on Saturday.

The Gers moved to within five points of Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, but with their Glasgow rivals in action on Sunday against Motherwell, that tally could be stretched to eight by the end of the weekend.

A win against Tommy Wright’s men would have seen Rangers put pressure on Celtic, but Gerrard believes the goalless draw ends their feint hopes of winning the title.

“Respect to St Johnstone and Tommy [Wright], they worked their game plan very well,” Gerrard said after the game.

Rangers v St Johnstone - Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership - Ibrox Stadium Jason Kerr and Daniel Candeias in action during Saturday's game. PA Wire / PA Images PA Wire / PA Images / PA Images

“They could have went away with more, Wes [Foderingham] has helped us get a point really. Across the board today, nowhere near good enough. I think I’ve been seduced in this week because the players have looked like they were looking forward to playing in front of Ibrox. 

“We knew Tommy and how he was going to set up. That didn’t disappoint us. They were organised, mid to low block and they offer you a challenge of: ‘Come on then what you got? Come and beat us’ and we didn’t have enough today all over the pitch to find the answers to the challenge and that’s very concerning for me. 

“We lacked leadership, I’m struggling to find any positives from it really. That’s where we are.

“I think right now, forget titles, forget closing gaps. The reality is if you perform like that across the board in front of 50k people, there’s your evidence. You don’t need me to say this that and the other.

Rangers v St Johnstone - Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership - Ibrox Stadium Gerrard's side are five points adrift of Celtic, with their rivals also having a game in hand. Ian Rutherford Ian Rutherford

“If you’ve got a group of lads out there and they give you that when they’ve got a chance to close to three points and you’ve got Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and the rest breathing down your neck, that is not what is required at Rangers when you’ve got the chance to close the gap. It’s miles away from it,” he added.

Next up for Rangers is a Scottish Cup fifth-round replay against Kilmarnock on Wednesday before they travel to Hamilton in the league next weekend.

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    Mute Declan Snow
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:04 PM

    Surely he shouldn’t be admitting this?

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    Mute Figo murphy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:32 PM

    @Declan Snow: 100% should receive a one match ban. For doing it and even more for being so open and proud of it.

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    Mute kev egan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:05 PM

    Why would you come out and admit doing this…!!

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    Mute Dan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:16 PM

    1 1 in Germany with 5 mins to go and every Liverpool player should go down holding their leg.

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    Mute Gary O'Rourke
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    Feb 22nd 2019, 8:23 AM

    @Dan: no point doing that when it’s 3-1 to Bayern you gimp

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    Mute Johnno Byrne
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:08 PM

    Did he also reveal that water is wet? Cue the outrage. Even though every team does it

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:38 PM

    Iv said it before if a players goes down and match has to be stopped, they should have to go off for a minimum period of time say 3 minutes. See how quickly all this would stop.

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    Mute Ted Logan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 5:15 PM

    @Cormac Flanagan: and what about genuine cases? Want the oppositions star striker off for 3 minutes? “Accidentally stand on his toes at a corner….

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    Mute Cormac Flanagan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 6:58 PM

    @Ted Logan: if it’s genuine then he will require time for treatment anyway. Or be substituted. And if the star striker gets targeted it’s up to the ref/VAR to sort it out.

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    Mute Peter Govan
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:40 PM

    Football players fake injury , shocker

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    Mute Michael
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:21 PM

    That game was like playing fifa being a goal up at the end and just passing about killing time at the same time pissing off the other player

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Feb 21st 2019, 6:20 PM

    Ramos is still a (unt though right?

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    Mute Brian Les
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:34 PM

    Good thing Bielsa didn’t say this. 200k find incoming

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    Mute Tricksy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:05 PM

    Well , there’s a surprise . He won’t have any bad feelings so if Liverpool are ahead and develop a lot of cramp ! How does these guys become managers ? A silly admittance . Half time ….. hope next game is better than the anfield one .

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:19 PM

    Kick em out of the competition

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    Mute James Clancy
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    Feb 21st 2019, 1:41 PM

    @Hardly Normal: Harsh.

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    Mute Hardly Normal
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    Feb 21st 2019, 3:00 PM

    @James Clancy: I know ya but still

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    Mute Noel Lillis
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    Feb 21st 2019, 12:30 PM

    This is worse than Beckham gettin the yellow card

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