Kenny Burns backs Rangers boss Steven Gerrard playing Joe Worrall

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Glasgow Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has surprised some of the Ibrox faithful by picking Joe Worrall over Nikola Katic lately.

In comments reported by the Daily Record, Kenny Burns has insisted that Steven Gerrard is completely right to play Joe Worrall over Nikola Katic as Worrall, in his opinion, is Rangers’ best defender.

Gerrard has surprised some of the Gers fans in recent weeks by breaking up the partnership of Connor Goldson and Katic, dropping the latter to bring Worrall into the team.

The on-loan Nottingham Forest ace made his debut against Villarreal in the Europa League and has started the Gers’ last four games alongside Goldson. And while they have only managed to keep one clean sheet in that run – admittedly, they have won three of those games – Burns is adamant that Worrall is the best defender available to Gerrard.

“I’ve seen Rangers play and I’ve seen Joe Worrall play. For me he’s better than anything else they’ve got so Steven Gerrard is right to play him,” he told the Record.

“Joe will put his head in where it hurts and I would play him ahead of Nikola Katic alongside Connor Goldson as Gerrard is doing.”

“He’s not frightened of telling people when they aren’t doing enough and in some of the Rangers games I watched I wasn’t impressed with their central defenders,” he went on to add.

“That’s why, if I was Gerrard, I would play Worrall. He’s on loan for a year and when he comes back to Nottingham Forest I think he’ll be captain because he’s a leader.”

Worrall impressed against Villarreal, and has definitely enjoyed some very bright moments since arriving at Ibrox in the summer. But some supporters may still need to be convinced that he is the Gers’ best centre-back.

Goldson has made a fantastic start to his Ibrox career and Katic had arguably done very little wrong before his run on the bench. The reaction to Worrall’s selection ahead of the Croatian for the recent game against Rapid Vienna highlighted that plenty of supporters were left almost disappointed by the manager’s decision.

Worrall undoubtedly has the potential and track record to live up to Burns’ billing before he returns to the City Ground, but it would be no surprise if some fans were not on the same wavelength as the former Gers academy youngster just yet.