Kris Boyd admits Rangers star Jermain Defoe’s made him eat his words

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Glasgow Rangers won their fourth game on the spin on Sunday, with the Gers claiming a 2-0 victory at Ibrox.

Kris Boyd has admitted during Sky Sports’ live post-match coverage of Rangers’ win against Aberdeen at Ibrox on Sunday (broadcast on 28/4 from 14:30) that Jermain Defoe has made him eat his words with the way that he has played since Alfredo Morelos has been suspended for the Gers.

Steven Gerrard’s men have enjoyed their joint-best run of form this season having put four wins together in the last few weeks. And they have done it without Morelos, who has been suspended since getting sent off in last month’s Old Firm game.

Morelos had been a talisman for the Light Blues throughout the campaign. But his absence has allowed Defoe to form a brilliant partnership with Scott Arfield. The pair have scored six goals between them in the last four games, and have helped the Gers score 11 goals in total in that run.

With Morelos set to be available for Sunday’s clash with Hibernian, Gerrard now has a decision to make regarding his team selection. And Boyd admitted that he did not expect the Rangers boss to have such a tough call to make given how influential the Colombian has been.

“Arfield and Defoe have been linking up magnificently. They’ve shared the goals. They’ve created opportunities for each other,” he told Sky Sports. “I sat at Celtic Park after the Old Firm game and said Alfredo Morelos won’t learn because the competition is not there to keep him out the team.

“Well, I’ll eat those words because I’ve been wrong because Jermain Defoe has come in and showed that there is still life in him yet. I think he’s been excellent. The sharpness is still there. And the connection that him and Arfield have got is brilliant in those final areas. A lot of Alfredo Morelos’ movement is for himself. I think these two work together as a partnership, one goes long, another goes in behind.”

It would be a surprise if Morelos returned to the starting lineup against Hibs. On his day, he appears to be impossible to defend against, but Rangers have been on an excellent run and Defoe has so far proved to be a more reliable option.

The more interesting decision is likely to come at the start of next season if Gerrard is able to call upon both Morelos and Defoe. Morelos is the one with the potential, but Rangers fans would be forgiven for feeling that they may actually be a better side right now with Defoe leading the line.