Steven Gerrard’s Rangers fought back to 2-2 away from Ibrox.
Rangers secured arguably their most impressive result since the club’s 2016 return to top-level football against Villarreal on Thursday.
Despite falling behind to Carlos Bacca’s superb strike inside 45 seconds at the home of the Europa League Group G favourites, Steven Gerrard’s Rangers escaped with a commendable 2-2 draw which could have easily been more in the end.
Although Scott Arfield’s second half equaliser was swiftly eradicated by Moreno Gerard, Villarreal had no reply to Kyle Lafferty’s leveller 14 minutes from time.
But it was neither Arfield nor Lafferty – nor too James Tavernier, Daniel Candeias, Glenn Middleton or Borna Barisic, each of whom made important contributions to Rangers’ two goals – who most impressed Bob Malcolm, the former Ibrox utility player, at Estadio de la Cerámica.
Replying to one fan’s tweet about Andy Halliday, the Rangers midfielder, afterwards, Malcolm wrote: “Best man on (the) park tonight”.
And Malcolm’s claim is validated by the following stats: Halliday completed 91 per cent of his 35 passes – the same success rate as Santi Cazorla, Villarreal’s double European Championship winning midfielder – won three tackles and made two interceptions – both more than any other Rangers player.
Halliday, who suffered a broken nose in Rangers’ previous fixture, has played nine times for Gerrard’s men this season – despite his future at Ibrox looking at various points precarious.
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