Glasgow Rangers secured their place in the League Cup final for the third year in a row after a second-half comeback win over Motherwell at Hampden Park.
Philippe Clement was certainly feeling the heat ahead of the clash following the defeat to Aberdeen. Nothing short of a win would have made his role untenable, that’s a certainty.
He isn’t out of the woods yet, but a strong second-half showing from certain players at least gives the Ibrox faithful another cup final to look forward to next month.
Best and worst performers for Rangers vs Motherwell
The Light Blues trailed at half-time following a goal by Andy Halliday, and it looked like Clement’s reign was coming to an inevitable end at the national stadium.
Tom Lawrence had to be taken off in the first half, replaced by Mohamed Diomande, who gave some extra dynamism to the midfield.
James Tavernier and Jefte contributed to the Steelmen’s goal, making errors in the leadup. The pair didn’t enjoy the finest of matches, especially the captain, who was brought off with 20 minutes remaining.
Nedim Bajrami proved decisive once again, scoring the winner after receiving a wonderful pass from Vaclav Cerny, who is another player proving the supporters wrong.
The team that ended the match should be the one that starts the next one. Bringing Danilo on as a substitute gave the club that extra edge in the final third, and he could be a key member of the squad over the next few months.
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The player who could save Clement's job
Of course, the Brazilian isn’t in the Europa League squad, which means he won’t be available for Thursday’s tie. The £6m signing from last summer hasn’t enjoyed the best of times in Glasgow, making only 23 appearances in all competitions due to a series of injuries.
The difference between him and Cyriel Dessers on Sunday was like night and day, despite the former Ajax striker coming off an injury.
Goals
4
Assists
1
Shots per game
3
Successful dribbles per game
0.8
Goal conversion %
11%
Scoring frequency (minutes)
133
One moment best describes his class. Diomande played the ball wide to Cerny deep in the second half with the club chasing a winner. The Czech winger drove forward while Danilo made a diagonal run towards the Motherwell penalty area, subsequently dragging three of their players out of position in the process.
This gave Bajrami acres of space out on the left to receive the ball and slot it into the back of the net for what proved to be the winner.
Danilo’s impressive movement gave the fans a glimpse of his talents and he looked sharper than Dessers during his short time on the pitch.
Once he builds up his match fitness, he should be the main option for the manager to lead the line, combining his intricate movement with superb finishing abilities that could potentially keep Clement in the job.
The striker cost £6m for a reason. Now is the time to finally live up to the reputation.
Worse than Jefte: Clement must drop Rangers man who was "far too slow"
The Rangers defender was taken off before the Light Blues scored the winning goal.
ByDan Emery
