Emmanuel Fernandez in unbelievable Rangers moment after what he did vs Celtic
Emmanuel Fernandez should’ve done better and maybe scored for Rangers against Celtic in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup on Sunday.
In the 54th minute of the game at Ibrox on 8 March, Mikey Moore’s delivery was met by the English centre-back, who failed to score, which subsequently led to a scramble in the Hoops box before it was eventually cleared.
Andy Halliday couldn’t believe the former Peterborough United defender didn’t score for the Gers and break the deadlock, with more expected from him.
Martin O’Neill’s team were more resolute at Ibrox than last week as they had to make a comeback after going two goals down in the William Hill Premiership, and Danny Rohl eventually saw his team lose on penalties this time around.
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Danny Rohl takes bold defensive Rangers decision vs Celtic
Danny Rohl decided to start Nasser Djiga alongside Fernandez for the Gers as Celtic returned to Govan for the cup quarter-final clash.
John Souttar hasn’t been at his best this season and leaving the most experienced centre-back on the bench was undoubtedly a bold decision from the German manager.
Djiga hasn’t been the most convincing at Ibrox either, but the Wolves loanee has arguably been better than the Scotland international in recent weeks.
The Burkina Faso star’s partnership with Fernandez worked well against Celtic, who made constant mistakes in the backline.
It was unfortunate for the home supporters to see their players fail to take advantage of their opportunities, and they were surely left to regret it.
Speaking on BBC Sportsound, Halliday said, “Can’t believe the ball hasn’t hit the back of the net. Free header for Fernandez. Expecting him to do better. But then it just falls in the box. I can’t even begin to guess who gets the final touch because you’re just expecting the net to ripple.”
What does Old Firm derby start mean for Nasser Djiga’s future at Ibrox?
Djiga will return to Wolves at the end of the season, but Rohl seems to have taken a liking to him.
Rangers will certainly need to bolster their defence in the summer, with James Tavernier, Max Aarons, Derek Cornelius, Jayden Meghoma and the Burkinabe centre-back set to leave at the end of the season as things stand.
Wolves are expected to get relegated from the Premier League this season, and Djiga would surely prefer playing in the Scottish top flight over the EFL Championship.
The 23-year-old’s situation will be one to keep an eye on as the Glaswegian outfit prepare for next season.
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