Rangers

Manager Philippe Clement says he is "very proud" of his Rangers team after an injury-time strike condemned them to Europa League defeat at Man United.

Image source, SNS

• Manchester United have scored four goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Besiktaş (5) and PAOK (5) have scored more in the Europa League this season.

• Rangers have scored in all seven games in the Europa League this season, their longest stretch of matches with a goal in the competition since a run of eight from 21 October 2021 to 17 March 2022.

• Manchester United scored a 90th-minute winning goal for the eighth time in major European competition, more often than any other English side (Arsenal and Chelsea – seven each).

• James Tavernier has assisted two goals in the Europa League this season (one in this game), no Rangers player has more.

• Cyriel Dessers scored Rangers' first competitive goal against Manchester United with their 49th shot against the Red Devils in major European competition.

• In Bailey Rice (18y 11d) and Findlay Curtis (18y 114d), two players aged 18 or under appeared in the same game for Rangers in major European competition for the first time since November 2009, when Danny Wilson and John Fleck played for against Stuttgart in the Champions League.

Rangers winger Rabbi Matondo's proposed loan move to Coventry City has broken down after the clubs were unable to agree on the bonuses involved as part of the deal for the 24-year-old Wales international. (Sky Sports), external

Atletico Madrid are keen on striking a deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Fabio Silva in the summer transfer window with the Portuguese starring on loan to Las Palmas following a disappointing spell last season with Rangers. (TeamTalk), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Rangers' fans were still celebrating what they thought was a famous draw after Cyriel Dessers had brilliantly levelled United's opener with an 88th-minute drive into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

But Fernandes cut those celebrations short when he got on the end of Lisandro Martinez's angled cross to the far post and drove a first-time shot through Jack Butland's legs.

From his seat in the directors' box, legendary United boss and former Rangers striker Sir Alex Ferguson could only shake his head in wonderment at the drama of it all.

At least the ending meant the game was not known purely for Butland's terrible own goal, when he came to clear Christian Eriksen's 52nd-minute corner and succeeded only in punching the ball into his own net.

United's character shone through just four days after head coach Ruben Amorim had stated his side were "maybe the worst team in Manchester United history".

For Rangers, it was a cruel way to extend a run in which Philippe Clement's side have not won away from Ibrox since 8 December.

They drop into the play-off places in 13th and need to beat Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise on home soil next week and hope other results go their way to gain automatic passage into the last 16.

Rangers fans, were you in Manchester or following the action from home? Have your say on the game, external.

Image source, SNS

Rangers manager Philippe Clement: "Everybody is disappointed that we lost after playing that kind of game so I am also.

"You want to win, you want to take the points that you deserve. I'm also very proud of what the team did today, following the tactics all the way, two changes at half-time, putting players in different positions. There were so many circumstances but the team stayed compact, I think in the first half we had the best chances to take the lead.

"We didn't stop believing in the second half even when we went behind, so it's really disappointing to concede the second goal. There's lots of positives in this young group, giving everything for the colours of this club.

"For the youngsters to come on this stage and be brave, a lot of congratulations to them and also the staff who have prepared them over the last weeks, months years. To come on the pitch and not be afraid, feel they are helped, secured, coached by the others - it's a massive experience for them.

"To get into the top eight we need to win again Union Saint-Gilloise and get luck in other results. To get in top 24, which was the ambition, we are very close but we are not there yet.

"It is about doing the things we have to do for this club and that is being ambitious."

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

Image source, SNS

Given no Scottish side had ever won at Old Trafford, and Rangers had not scored in their two previous visits, their noisy following did not seem too downhearted at the outcome as they were held in the stadium on safety grounds long after the final whistle.

They are all too aware of the huge gulf in finances that exists between the Premier League and Scotland's Old Firm.

Rangers did give a very positive account of themselves though.

In addition to Nicolas Raskin's early opportunity Cyriel Dessers hit the post late on, although TV replays showed the Nigerian may have just been offside.

Hamza Igamane worked tirelessly up front and created the opportunity Jefte drilled straight at Altay Bayindir and 18-year-old Findlay Curtis also tested United's goalkeeper.

But when James Tavernier launched a long ball over the home defence and Dessers outmanoeuvered Harry Maguire and finished brilliantly, it looked certain Rangers had given their supporters a brilliant story to nurse them on their journey back to Glasgow.

Sadly for them, Fernandes had other ideas.

Image source, SNS

Former Rangers winger Jamie Murphy says Philippe Clement's side have the chance to "put their name on the world stage" against Man United.

The Ibrox club are at Old Trafford for a massive Europa League clash against the ailing English giants on Thursday night.

"It's special," Murphy told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"There will be boys in that team more excited about this game than any other, particularly the boys from down in England.

"But they're a worldwide club, Manchester United, so to be able to go to Old Trafford and play, they'll just be hoping they perform.

"Are they going to come out with a win? I think it'll be very difficult with the players that they have missing. But it's a chance for them to go and put their name on the world stage."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Why is Rangers captain James Tavernier extra determined to win at Old Trafford?

"It would definitely be special, especially being a Leeds fan playing against Man Utd," said Tavernier.

"I've got a lot of friends and family coming here but everyone's sorted [for tickets]."

The right-back is relishing the Europa League trip to the Theatre of Dreams, where his only previous appearance was as a Newcastle United youngster in 2012.

"It was in the Capital One Cup and I lost – so I'd like to come here and get a good win. I'm really excited," Tavernier said.

"The only thing I remember was that Wayne Rooney was in centre midfield and was running the show.

"I was young and it was obviously a little bit daunting coming to Man United. I'm well experienced now so you sort of block a lot more noise out and just focus on the game.

"I know everyone in the team has that in them because they mostly all been involved in big games."

Rangers are well placed to qualify for the Europa League knockout stage and Tavernier feels their good form in that competition has helped them through domestic difficulties.

"We've lacked consistency this season but I feel that in Europe we've handled ourselves really well," he added.

"This competition has always been good for us, rising to big challenges. Obviously, what United have done lately in conceding early, we're just going to stick to our gameplan and try to get right in their faces, try to get after them."

James Tavernier believes Amad Diallo's modest loan stint at Rangers helped propel the winger to be a superstar at Manchester United. (Daily Record)

Officers from Police Scotland were given special permission to monitor Glasgow's CCTV before the Rangers v Celtic game earlier this month in order to avoid a repeat of the street violence seen late last year. (The Herald)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.

Image source, Getty

Philippe Clement is ignoring the "noise" around toiling Manchester United as Rangers eye a statement Europa League win at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils languish 13th in the Premier League and manager Ruben Amorim described his side as "the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United" although he backtracked on those comments on Wednesday.

Clement, who has come under pressure amid Rangers' poor Premiership away form, said: "The most important thing for my group is to be focused on ourselves and not all the noise around them. It's about a football game.

"We need to show our qualities. We need to get the best out of everybody.

"It's not about all the noise around us. It's about what we do on the pitch with and without a ball. And that the team is doing better and better, the last couple of months, that's what we need to show tomorrow here.

"I'm convinced that our squad, our team can hurt any opponent. We need to do a lot of things right to get a good result here."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for their Europa League clash against Man United.

Here are the main points:

• Clement says he won't be afraid to take a bold approach despite having eight players unavailable. The Ibrox boss is glad to have goalkeeper Jack Butland - "it's clear what Jack has done" - and former Old Trafford academy midfielder Tom Lawrence back.

• Despite struggling for numbers, Clement wants his side to "write history" with a first win over United and remains upbeat: "It's about the whole team and the whole squad digging in together."

• The Belgian insists his team "can hurt any opponent" and is not paying much attention to United's struggles: "I'm totally not busy with that, whether the other team is high or low in confidence. We had it a few weeks ago before the Old Firm match when nobody gave us a chance. The team proved what they can do in big moments."

• Clement is clear about one thing – don't give United any encouragement by making some of the mistakes that have blighted Rangers' domestic season.

• He says: "We shot ourselves in the foot a lot of times in the domestic away games. We were dominating and creating chances but not scoring and then making individual mistakes. We need to take lessons from those games."

• On whether this is his biggest game as Rangers boss, given the stage and occasion: "No, I never think that way. For me, the last game in the cup [against Fraserburgh] I treated with the same respect. The teams knows that also."

• Clement wants his men to embrace the "really, really big challenge", enjoy their time in the limelight and rise to the occasion against one of the most famous clubs in world football.

• He adds: "If you're a small boy starting to play football you dream of being in stadiums like this and playing games like this against good opponents. So they all love that."

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

For this footballing giant, once the dominant force in the league but now miles off the pace and with a manager under pressure as a result of a yawning gap between them and their most bitter rivals, European football offers some solace from domestic tribulations. Sound familiar?

Ruben Amorim's Manchester United welcome Rangers to Old Trafford in the Europa League with plenty in common and little for Philippe Clement and his side to fear as they consider the prospect of automatic qualification for the last 16.

That may yet prove fanciful, but a positive result in the Theatre of Dreams is not beyond them if they can hit the heights of Nice and United cannot muster a better showing than they offered in defeat at home to Brighton at the weekend.

Clement will have to shuffle his pack once again with Ianis Hagi unavailable and Mohamed Diomande suspended in addition to the customary lengthy injury list. There could be a place on the bench again for Bailey Rice and Findlay Curtis, who both acquitted themselves well on Sunday, albeit against considerably lower-level opposition.

It is inconceivable that Rangers won't progress in Europe beyond this league stage, but what remains to be determined is whether they go through as one of the top eight or have to play off as one of the clubs ranked between ninth and 24th.

The computerised projections suggest 15 points will be required to qualify automatically, which Rangers could achieve with a draw on Thursday and a win in their final game at home to Union Saint-Gilloise.

Regardless of the outcome in Manchester, victory in that final game should at least be enough to secure a seeded place in the play-off round, but a positive result at Old Trafford would do wonders for morale and give Clement a much-needed filip as he seeks to justify the show of faith from the board.

Rangers are demanding a price for striker Cyriel Dessers that is unaffordable for Leganes, who tried to sign the Nigeria international when he was with Feyenoord. (AS), external

Vicko Sevelj wants Dundee United to bounce back from their Scottish Cup exit against Rangers in Sunday's Premiership meeting and believes catching the second-placed team is still a possibility. (Record), external

United need to start games the way they are finishing them, says former defender Lee Wilkie. (Courier - subscription), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

Rangers manager Philippe Clement looks forward to Thursday's Europa League meeting with Manchester United at Old Trafford.