Barry Ferguson urges Steven Gerrard to drop ‘excellent’ Rangers talent for ‘huge’ clash v Hibs
Barry Ferguson has urged Rangers manager Steven Gerrard to reinstate Allan McGregor as his number one goalkeeper against Hibernian on Sunday.
The veteran stopper hasn’t featured in the Scottish Premiership for the Gers since the opening day victory against Aberdeen having picked up a knock against Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League last month.
In his absence, Jon McLaughlin has deputised superbly, conceding no goals at all and helping his side to maintain the longest consecutive run of clean sheets at the start of a Scottish top flight season since 1906.
But McGregor came back into the side against Lincoln Red Imps in midweek, and Ferguson would prefer to see him retain that spot at Easter Road.
Writing in a column for the Daily Record, he said: “McGregor has been out with a knee injury since the win at Pittodrie and Jon McLaughlin has been brilliant in his absence, helping the club break a 114-year old clean sheet record.
“But as much as McLaughlin’s been excellent, who would I want in my team going to what is a huge game at Easter Road tomorrow or, indeed, Parkhead for the first Old Firm derby next month?
“For me, it would be Allan McGregor. I must stress that’s not an old pals’ act because I played with him and neither is it any disrespect to Jon McLaughlin.
“But you’ve got to go with the best goalkeeper and for me that’s Allan McGregor.”
Should Gerrard drop McLaughlin?
This is a real dilemma, and honestly, we can see both sides.
On the one hand, the player knocking on the door for his spot is McGregor, arguably the most beloved and experienced player in this current Rangers squad.
The prospect of him being out of the side at all would have been unthinkable even a few short months ago.
But on the other, how can you drop a goalkeeper who is literally yet to put a foot wrong?
McLaughlin has conceded no goals this term.
As a point of comparison, McGregor conceded 0.86 per 90 minutes, as per Wyscout.
In short, dropping McLaughlin would be extremely unfair, and it would appear that Gerrard is fully aware of that fact too.
With that in mind, if we were to be put on the spot right now, we would stick with McLaughlin until he gives us a reason to believe that he isn’t the man for the job.
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