Rangers player ratings v Middlesbrough: Danilo excellent, 4/10 star stinks
Rangers continued their pre-season campaign with a 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough at Ibrox on Saturday (26 July).
Russell Martin’s side mounted an impressive comeback in the final half an hour to come from two goals behind to avoid defeat to their English visitors.
Rangers enjoyed a memorable win over Panathinaikos in the Champions League on Tuesday (22 July), and several of the stars who featured in the European tie were handed minutes in the latter stages of the second half against Middlesbrough.
Martin’s starting XI also featured several younger members of the squad, and here, Ibrox News rates each Rangers player’s performance out of 10.
Danilo excellent 8/10 after being introduced
Hamza Igamane’s future has been the major talking point over the last few weeks at Ibrox, but on Saturday, Danilo reminded everybody that he could still be a useful option for Martin this term.
He was introduced into the game just shy of the hour mark and guided a superb header into the bottom corner to spark the hosts’ fightback in the second half.
It was a crucial moment of the game, but the Brazilian also showcased his ability to drop deep and link up the play on countless occasions.
Martin’s substitutions changed the game against Middlesbrough, and Danilo was right at the heart of the Gers’ surge in the second half.
The former Feyenoord man has had a fantastic pre-season so far, and his strong run of form continued here.
Cyriel Dessers struggles v Middlesbrough
Cyriel Dessers is another man who has been tipped to depart Rangers this summer, and the frontman will have done little to endear himself to Martin with his showing against Middlesbrough.
The Nigerian struggled to get involved in the game, and while that can be attributed in part to what was a tough first half for his side, he also failed to make himself an option to receive the ball on several occasions.
It was a frustrating display from the 30-year-old, who has set much higher standards for himself than that throughout his stint at Ibrox.
Dessers‘ performance was little more than a 4/10, and his showing could have a telling impact on some of Martin’s decision-making over the next few weeks.
Rangers player ratings v Middlesbrough
Liam Kelly – 7
Zander Hutton – 5
Emmanuel Fernandez – 6
Jefte – 6
Bailey Rice – 6
Connor Barron – 5
Nedim Bajrami – 5
Oscar Cortes – 5
Djeidi Gassama – 6
Josh Gentles – 6
Cyriel Dessers – 4
Substitutes
James Tavernier – 6
Max Aaarons – 6
Nasser Djiga – 6
Lyall Cameron – 6
Nico Raskin – 7
Kieran Dowell – 7
Danilo – 8
Findlay Curtis – 7
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