Rangers: Borna Barisic gives sound advice to Leon King after Liverpool defeat
Leon King has barged his way into the Rangers side and come through every test with flying colours in a very short space of time.
The 18-year-old looked a very accomplished figure at Anfield as the Light Blues were beaten 2-0 by Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday where he played in a back five.
Alongside him that night was left-back Borna Barisic and the Croatian international had sound advice for him once the final whistle blew.
“I spoke with him after the game and I congratulated him,” Barisic said, as quoted by the Daily Record. “It is not easy. He is 18 years old. To come to Anfield and play like he played is a very big thing for the club and for him personally.
“A performance like this can only give him confidence to grow up. There is a long, long way in front of him and a lot of big moments. But I think he can hold his head up after this game and can be very positive.
“He needs to learn that in three days there is another game and he needs to forget this one. He has to take positive things out of the Liverpool game and do things better going forward. But he has a bright future. He is a great lad.”
Clockwork
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has plenty of central defensive options at his disposal but King might just be the best man to partner the experienced Connor Goldson in a long-term back four.
Being a left-footed player, he naturally slots in next to Barisic and looks as if he has been there for a decade while he is still very young into his career.
The shift to a back five was only made to try and contain the star-studded Liverpool attack and it worked for much of the game, even if there was not much in the way of attacking chances for Rangers.
King has been fortunate that John Souttar, a summer signing, has been out of action through injury but it takes a special talent to take his chance as he has.
When St Mirren arrive at Ibrox on Saturday, it should be no surprise to anyone if King keeps his place in the side with Ben Davies perhaps the one who will drop out when they revert to a back four.
In other Rangers news, Tam McManus had huge praise for one Light Blues man on Merseyside after a man-of-the-match performance.