Sheyi Ojo was awful in Rangers’ Old Firm derby defeat to Scottish Premiership champions Celtic – is he about to be replaced by ex-Liverpool team-mate Kent?
While Rangers fans are toasting a dream deadline day, Sheyi Ojo has been left counting the cost of a disastrous derby display and wondering what the return of Ryan Kent means for his immediate future at Ibrox.
Just two days ago, Ojo came off the bench in the Old Firm derby and produced a performance so incompetent, so riddled with unforced errors that Gers fans took to Twitter in their droves pleading with Liverpool to re-call the winger from his latest loan spell.
The 22-year-old has produced four goals and three assists since linking up with Steven Gerrard north of the border and, for a while at least, his electrifying displays had Rangers fans forgetting all about the reigning SPFA Young Player of the Year. Ryan who?
But things change quickly in football and a dismal performance in a home defeat to Celtic is certainly one way to get the fans on your back.
A £7 million, deadline day deal to bring Kent back to Ibrox on a permanent basis (BBC) not only strengthens Gerrard’s attack, it also represents a huge statement of intent just 24 hours after Rangers were beaten and, in truth, rather outclassed by their bitter rivals on home turf.
The tough-talking Gerrard has made it clear that he will not accept below-par performances and, with Kent back on the books, he no longer has to either.
Ojo only spent 45 minutes on the pitch against Celtic as Odsonne Edouard and Jonny Hates put last season’s runners-up in their place, but that was enough for the former Wigan and Wolves loanee to cast severe doubt on whether he has the quality or the character to turn Rangers from nearly-men into champions.
Kent’s ability to play on the right or the left means no one in Gerrard’s forward line is safe right now – and Ojo is perhaps more vulnerable than anyone.
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