‘Outstanding’: Steven Gerrard hails Rangers powerhouse who he tried to bench

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Steven Gerrard has singled out Rangers defender Filip Helander for his performance in the 4-0 thrashing of Dundee United this afternoon.

The Gers set a Premiership record today by keeping a seventh successive clean sheet – and they’ve only played seven matches this season.

Goals from Ryan Kent, James Tavernier, Kemar Roofe and Scott Arfield was enough for Rangers as Gerrard’s side protected their six-point lead over Celtic, who have two games in hand.

But there were also heroics at the other end and Helander, in particular, looked solid and commanding at the heart of their defence.

Gerrard originally left the big Swede on the bench, naming Leon Balogun ahead of him in the first XI, but the summer signing was replaced by Helander at the last minute after complaining of ‘tightness’.

The Rangers boss told his club’s YouTube channel: “Leon felt a bit of tightness in the warm-up. We obviously didn’t want to take a risk on that. Filip was ready to come and I thought he was outstanding again.”

Gerrard absolutely made the right call with Balogun.

With Nikola Katic already staring down the barrel of a lengthy absence, being ruled out until 2021, Rangers can’t afford to lose another central defender to a long-term injury.

Geroge Edmundson was drafted into the match-day squad after Balogun’s absence and that in itself illustrates the quality and depth that the Ibrox boss has.