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Football

12th Jul 2018

WATCH: Rangers fans loved Steven Gerrard’s touchline flick in first competitive game as boss

You never lose it

Simon Lloyd

You never lose it

The Steven Gerrard era is up and running at Ibrox.The Liverpool legend oversaw his first competitive game as Rangers boss on Thursday evening, a 2-0 win over Macedonian side FK Shkupi in the Europa League qualifiers.

Jamie Murphy’s opener gave Rangers a half-time lead at a sold-out Ibrox, with a second added by a James Tavernier penalty in stoppage time. Not an emphatic victory by any means, but Gerrard will be relieved to start his reign with a win.

The ease with which he controlled a stray pass on the sideline shortly before half-time might also have had some Rangers fans wondering if he might consider becoming a player-manager instead of just a manager.

The 38-year-old stretched out his right leg to guide the ball back into the path of one 0f his players with the outside of his foot seconds before the interval, a move which was greeted by cheers from some of the home support.

Gerrard retired from playing in November 2016 after finishing his career in Major League Soccer with LA Galaxy. He returned to Liverpool the following January, remaining as part of the coaching set-up at Anfield until he took the Rangers job earlier this summer.

Rangers will face the return leg with Shkupi on Tuesday 17 July.