Jason Jones

Fri 3 January 2020 16:17, UK

Rangers know better than anybody that they have a special talent on their hands in Alfredo Morelos. 

There are few, if any, centre forwards who have come into the Scottish game and had the same kind of whirlwind impact as the Colombian in recent times, and his record for the season – 28 goals in 35 games – is nothing short of remarkable.

But there is, of course, another side to his game, and all too often it’s his short temper and tendency to attract controversy that makes the headlines more than his goalscoring feats.

That was the case in last Sunday’s Old Firm, when, despite a stellar performance from the South American, his late red card has come to dominate the discourse in the aftermath.

But Derek Johnstone believes that Morelos deserves a fairer crack of the whip north of the border.

Writing in a column for the Glasgow Times, he said: “Opposition supporters want to knock him any time they can and do you know why? Because he is a threat.

“If he wasn’t a terrific striker and a threat to their side, nobody would bother their shirt about Alfredo Morelos.

“The best way for him to silence them is to keep doing what he does best. You stick the ball in the net and give them a wee smile.”

Johnstone couldn’t be more on the money here.

The reason that Morelos gets so much stick is because people fear him.

You can argue about his disciplinary record all you like, and there are times when he certainly hasn’t helped himself, but for the most part, the hitman has become a marked man who is targeted week after week by teams looking to goad him into doing something reckless – or at least that’s how it feels.

And why do they continue to do it? Because they know that the only time Morelos can’t hurt is when he’s not on the pitch.

In other news, Report – Top flight clubs circle for Rangers flop keen to stay in Scotland.