Steven Gerrard anxious about Rangers duo as he says repeat of defending and VAR drama in Antwerp could send him 'to early casket'

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard admits he is fearful of the extent of injuries suffered by James Tavernier and Kemar Roofe in his team’s pulsating 4-3 Europa League win over Royal Antwerp in Belgium.

Rangers captain James Tavernier in clear distress after suffering a knee injury which saw him limp out of his team's dramatic 4-3 win over Royal Antwerp in Belgium. (Photo by DIRK WAEM/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images)

Ibrox skipper Tavernier and forward Roofe limped off with knee and calf issues respectively which will be assessed in the coming days.

It was a night which saw Rangers overcome those setbacks, along with some unusually poor defending and controversial VAR decisions which left Gerrard joking it could lead to his untimely demise.

“It doesn’t help the anxiety levels,” he said. “If we had VAR every single week and we defend like that, I think I’d be going in an early casket.”

Rangers, who went ahead through Joe Aribo then trailed 2-1 and 3-2 before triumphing thanks to two Borna Barisic penalties either side of a Ryan Kent strike, are now hot favourites to finish the job against Antwerp at Ibrox next Thursday and reach the last 16 of the tournament.

"It was a crazy match,” observed Gerrard. “I'm sure the neutrals enjoyed it but as a coach I'll be looking into it because we had too many issues defensively. The goals we've conceded are poor from our point of view.

"There is certainly work and a lot of improving to do. At this level, you get punished a lot more.

"I asked them for more at half time because I felt we weren't ourselves. So I asked the players for more and to play with more belief. We did that in the second half so the outcome of the game is fantastic for us but there's still a lot of improving to do.

“I’m concerned for both James and Kemar. Right now, I’m more concerned for Kemar because he feels it’s the same as a previous injury when he missed two to three weeks. He’s got a calf problem but we’ll get it looked at in a scan.

“With James, we’ll have to wait and see. He’s obviously gone in for a block tackle and felt some pain in the knee area. We’ll get him scanned as well and go from there.

‘Obviously I feel really good in terms of the result but I feel for both players because they are very important for the group.”

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