Rangers boss addresses Kilmarnock hoodoo - pitch may impact selection

For Steven Gerrard, a trip to Rugby Park must hold about as much appeal as a dental appointment.

Kilmarnock's Rugby Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Rangers manager Steven Gerrard. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

The short journey down the M77 to face Kilmarnock certainly entailed no shortage of agony for the Rangers manager during his first two seasons at the helm of the Ibrox club.

He has lost three of his four Premiership fixtures so far at Rugby Park. The artificial playing surface was where Rangers’ title challenges began to unravel with damaging losses just after the winter break in each of the past two campaigns.

So there is a sense that his team’s unbeaten start to 2020-21, now standing at an impressive 15 wins and two draws from 17 games in all competitions, could be placed under genuine threat when they take on Alex Dyer’s side in East Ayrshire at lunchtime on Sunday.

But Gerrard insists Rangers’ approach will be no different than it has been since the season began and he is optimistic they can secure a victory which would stretch their lead over Celtic at the top of the Premiership table to nine points.

“We treat every game and opposition the same, whether it be domestically or in Europe,” said Gerrard. “You have to respect all the opponents and challenges that are coming your way.

"At times, we’ve been disappointed and come away from Rugby Park frustrated because the way we’ve actually played, we’ve felt we deserved more. We’ve been in control on quite a few occasions and then the momentum has changed and the crowd has got behind them.

"I wouldn’t say Kilmarnock have stolen points off us but they’ve managed to knock us out of our stride. We know it’s a tricky game and our record is not as good as it should have been there. But it’s a clean slate, a different game and we’re going there in good form. I’m confident if we perform to our level and what we’re capable of then it can be enough.

"This will be a big challenge because we had to put a lot into beating Lech Poznan on Thursday night. It was a heavy pitch, so that will come into my thinking when I’m picking the team.”

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