Michael Stewart ‘makes bizarre Cyriel Dessers claim’ in Hibernian v Rangers
Rangers faced Hibernian in the final fixture of this season’s Scottish Premiership on Saturday, with Michael Stewart taking a dig at Cyriel Dessers.
Barry Ferguson’s team travelled to Easter Road on 17 May, with the game ending 2-2 as Kieron Bowie and Martin Boyle equalised for the hosts twice.
The game wasn’t without its controversies, as the Scottish FA deemed that Nico Raskin’s potential goal was ruled out because there was no conclusive evidence to suggest it went over the line.
Dessers had opened the scoring early for the visitors, taking his goal tally to 29 in all competitions for the current campaign, but some still aren’t convinced about the Nigerian striker.
Dessers not deemed good enough for Rangers
Dessers isn’t good enough to lead a team that aspire to win the Scottish Premiership title, Stewart says.
The ex-Scottish midfielder believes the Gers need to reinforce their number nine position, which seems bizarre considering the number of goals the 30-year-old has scored.
| Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 55 | 29 | 7 |
Stewart can’t be serious about the Light Blues replacing the Nigeria international, as it would take a hefty investment to acquire someone as prolific.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound (17 May, 12:40), the Scotsman said: “For me, I still don’t think Dessers is a number nine that’s going to lead a championship-winning side. So for Rangers, if they want to try and get themselves challenging, I think they need to improve in that position.”
Hamza Igamane will need to step up at Ibrox
Hamza Igamane’s form at Ibrox in recent weeks has dipped, leading to him being dropped from the starting lineup.
It’s surprising to see the Morocco international struggling to get a kick of the ball after his impact midway through the season under Philippe Clement.
Ferguson seems to trust Dessers, and the former Cremonese forward has repaid that faith by scoring some crucial goals for the Gers.
Rangers have seen Celtic win the Scottish Premiership title for the fourth consecutive time now, and they need to knock Brendan Rodgers’ team off their perch.
With the takeover imminent at Ibrox, the prospective new owners will undoubtedly want to keep the best players at the Light Blues, and Dessers may be one of them.
The Bears need a reliable goalscorer to compete with their Old Firm rivals, and while the 30-year-old has been frustrating at times, he’s shown his goalscoring prowess this season.
If the Glaswegian outfit sell the Nigerian ace, they’ll need to hope Igamane steps up to lead their line in the upcoming campaign.