Rangers told they must sign James Tavernier competition after what he has done at Ibrox

Derek Ferguson has told Rangers they must start looking for competition for James Tavernier at Ibrox after his poor performances in recent weeks.

Since his mistake in the 3-3 draw with Celtic at Ibrox, the captain has struggled to impress, leading Ferguson to suggest things need to be refreshed.

He went on to clarify that he didn't necessarily mean to sell him but to bring in competition and provide a challenge for his position as the team needs a refresh.

Speaking on the Open Goal podcast [18 April], Ferguson shared: "He's been excellent with what he's done over the course of the last few years and the goals, we get that.

"I just think there comes a time when it needs to be refreshed.

"I'm not saying bump him but we need to get somebody else in there that's going to challenge for that position."

James Tavernier slammed after Rangers performances

As the captain and one of the mainstays in the first team at Ibrox, Tavernier is often held to a higher standard than his teammates, but that should not take away from the criticism when his performances have earned it.

While he may be the scapegoat at times, the last three games in Rangers' winless run have seen him struggle to make an impact aside from his usual goalscoring antics as the performances have been flat and tired.

Fans are beginning to take note of his dip in form as Four Lads Had A Dream went as far as to label him "absolutely awful" during the 3-2 defeat against Ross County, insisting people are getting sick of the captain's poor displays.

Tavernier will have to step up soon or risk being replaced as has been seen with Borna Barisic who was once a favourite at Ibrox before Ridvan Yilmaz, initially bright in for competition, eclipsed his senior teammate.

In other Rangers news, Tom English mocked Fabio Silva v Dundee.

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