Jason Holt takes full advantage of rare Rangers opportunity

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Glasgow Rangers midfielder Jason Holt played well as he filled in for Ibrox teammate Ryan Jack.

After an extremely bright cameo in Rangers’ win over Hamilton just before the international break, Jason Holt may have felt that Ryan Jack’s suspension for the clash with St Johnstone on Friday was his ideal opportunity to prove a point to Pedro Caixinha.

Before the win at Accies, Holt had not played in the Scottish Premiership all season. But his desire to win the ball back when the game was won would have surely impressed Caixinha, especially as it led to a penalty that allowed Graham Dorrans to score the Gers’ fourth.

It was no surprise therefore, that Holt was the man to replace Jack in the middle for the trip to face the Saints – but with Jack impressing since his summer move, the 24-year-old would have been forgiven for looking at it as a make or break game as he tries to earn more opportunities.

And while his all-round performance probably did not do enough to convince Caixinha to not bring Jack back into the fold following his suspension, one moment of class from Holt may have done his chances of earning more opportunities the world of good.

As Alfredo Morelos ran at the St Johnstone defence, it was Holt making a blistering run just outside him; and he was picked out by the Colombian.

Rather than drill a shot at goal from an acute angle however, Holt managed to create significantly more space for himself with one brilliant turn inside the box that took several defenders out of the equation.

And the turn allowed the midfielder to drill the ball across the box for the onrushing Dorrans to make the score 3-0 late on and ensure that the Light Blues took the three points in emphatic fashion.

As mentioned, Jack’s combative style will probably ensure that he comes back in when available, but Holt arguably provided another glimpse of why he still has plenty to offer Caixinha’s side, and therefore deserves to be used more often than he has been thus far.