Morelos has picked up 11 yellow cards in 26 Rangers outings this season.
Steven Thompson has told BBC Sportsound that Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos must improve his discipline as he picked up another booking that will see him miss next month’s league game against Dundee.
The 22-year-old scored his 16th goal of the season, in just his 26th league and cup appearance for Steven Gerrard’s side as Rangers beat Livingston 3-0 at Ibrox on Saturday afternoon.
Perhaps with Thursday’s Europa League clash against Villarreal in mind, Gerrard started the Colombia international on the bench. He came on for the last 30 minutes, scoring a left-footed drive after a good pass from James Tavernier.
Ex-Rangers striker Thompson applauded his goalscoring form this season, but urged the former HJK Helsinki man to sort out his discipline. He picked up a yellow in the 86th minute, meaning he will miss December 9’s clash against Dundee.
“He has been so important to what Rangers have done under Steven Gerrard this season, in terms of his goals,” Thompson said. “Every time he plays he looks like he is going to score.
“26 appearances, 16 goals, 11 yellows and two reds. The first part of that statement is impressive. The second part isn’t and he is going to miss another game against Dundee. He needs to get that side out of his game.
“He’s picking up these silly bookings, but there’s no doubt that he has been a pivotal member of Gerrard’s team.”
Gerrard was quoted after the match by BBC Sport as saying that: “I will fall out with people to keep him here, that’s how much I like him.”
Morelos has been linked with moves away since joining the Gers from Finnish side Helsinki under Pedro Caixinha, with the South American powerhouse one of the rare positives of Caixinha’s era.
The striker is likely to start against Spanish side Villarreal on Thursday night, in a match that Rangers must at least draw to keep their chances of Group G qualification alive.
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