McCulloch thinks Candeias isn’t getting enough credit despite form under Gerrard

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Rangers winger Daniel Candeias has been impressing at Ibrox this season.

Former Rangers captain Lee McCulloch has told the Glasgow Evening Times that he thinks winger Daniel Candeias deserves more praise for his performances this season.

The Gers have been impressive under Steven Gerrard, winning 12 of their 21 games under the former Liverpool man whilst losing just twice in all competitions.

It’s onto the Europa League on Thursday night, as Rangers host Russian giants Spartak Moscow in a clash which could tee up the Gers for a passage into the knockout stages.

A draw with Villarreal and a win over Rapid Vienna means Rangers are well-poised right now, and will be looking for a win at Ibrox on Thursday to keep up their great form under Gerrard.

On Sunday, Rangers beat Hamilton Academical 4-1 at New Douglas Park, avoiding late agony as they scored three times in the final ten minutes to claim all three points.

James Tavernier, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos were all on the scoresheet, and will no doubt be key against Spartak, but McCulloch believes there should be more praise for Candeias.

The Portuguese winger was brought to Ibrox by Pedro Caixinha in 2017 having worked together at Nacional in Portugal, and is one of the few Caixinha signings to have made a positive impact.

Now, former Rangers captain McCulloch has told the Glasgow Evening Times that he thinks Candeias is going under the radar and deserves more credit for his form, hailing him as a ‘complete team player’.

“Up front, you have Ryan Kent, who has now got three goals, an in-form Alfredo Morelos and Daniel Candeias who, for me, has really gone under the radar this season,” said McCulloch. “He was fairly quiet against Hamilton on Sunday but you can’t fault his work rate and his desire and he can set the tone for the rest of the team. It is infectious when you play like that.”

“There have been times this season where he has been an easy target for the fans and the media. He is probably not getting enough credit for what he is bringing to the team as opposed to what he is doing individually. He is a complete team player and Rangers will need everyone to have that attitude at Ibrox on Thursday night,” he added.