Steven Gerrard’s Glasgow Rangers lost at Ibrox in the Europa League on Thursday.
Rangers suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen at Ibrox in the first leg of their Europa League Round of 16 tie.
After the game, Liverpool legend Gerrard criticised the way the Gers conceded the third goal against the German club.
The Scottish Sun quotes Gerrard as saying: “The penalty was a blow for us but it was a penalty. The third goal we conceded was a sloppy one.
“Matt has to take his man down and take a yellow card for the team. We never want to lose a game at home and we had some really good opportunities.”
However, former Everton and Manchester City central defender Joleon Lescott, who played 26 times for the England national football team, does not think that it would have been easy for the 26-year-old American, who can operate as a defender or as a defensive midfielder.
The Daily Record quotes Lescott as saying: “He (Gerrard) is saying ‘bring him down, yellow card for the team’.
“The counter-attack, that’s what you see in Europe and the top teams. That’s what the top players do, they punish you.
“And Stevie knew that, he knew in that moment when the ball’s on the other side if you don’t make the right decision then you get punished. I think Stevie realised that third goal makes it almost impossible.
“But there’s no shame, this is a really good Leverkusen team with some top players. I don’t think there’s any shame in going out to this team.”
Stats
Over the course of the 90 minutes at Ibrox on Thursday evening, hosts Rangers had 35% of the possession, took nine shots of which three were on target, and earned five corners, according to BBC Sport.
Visitors Bayer had 65% of the possession, took 13 shots of which eight were on target, and earned six corners, according to BBC Sport.
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