'I've been watching him': Rio Ferdinand really impressed as Rangers star does something he hasn't done since 2014
01/24/2025 10:00 AM
Youngster Bailey Rice was not the only Rangers player who caught the eye of Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand during Thursday’s dramatic Europa League clash at Old Trafford.
On a night in which 18-year-old Rice stepped off the bench and staked a pretty fierce claim for more regular first-team minutes, Rangers’ re-jigged, injury-hit side held their own until deep into stoppage time.
A 92nd minute winner from Bruno Fernandes may have broken the visitor’s hearts – Jefte blamed by the likes of Alan Hutton and Neil McCann for the cardinal sin of switching off at the back post in the dying seconds – but this was still a night of many positives for Philippe Clement’s underdogs.
Cyriel Dessers scored a ‘sensational’ solo goal in an empathic riposte to his critics. Goalkeeper Jack Butland bounced back from injury, and an earlier howler, to make a flurry of ‘incredible’ saves.
Nico Raskin, Hamza Igamane and co went toe-to-toe with Bruno Fernandes and Matthijs de Ligt too and very nearly came out as equals.
And with teenage duo Rice and Findlay Curtis impressing off the bench, the future back at Ibrox looks bright indeed.
Rio Ferdinand hails Rangers duo Bailey Rice and James Tavernier
Rio Ferdinand lauded Bailey Rice’s composure and his ‘lovely left foot’ from his position on the TNT Sport’s commentary gantry.
Replacing Connor Barron at half-time in what was a massive show of confidence from Clement, Rice produced the joint-second most ‘key passes’ of any Rangers player despite only featuring for half of the game.
But, at the other end of the age spectrum, a man 15 years Rice’s senior proved in the defensive third that there is still plenty of bark yet in this old dog.
With the struggling Leon Balogun following Barron in departing at the interval, long-serving right-back James Tavernier was tasked with slipping into an unfamiliar central role in the continued absence of John Souttar, Dujon Sterling and Neraysho Kasanwirjo.
For context, the last time Tavernier played in the middle of a backline, he was representing Rotherham United in the semi-final of the League One play-offs against Preston North End all the way back in 2014.
Though Tavernier, for the most part, did not look like a man adapting on the fly to a role he hasn’t filled in over a decade.
“I have been watching him the last 10 minutes since he has went into central defence,” Ferdinand, who knows a thing or two about playing at centre-back at Old Trafford, said early in the second-half, impressed not only by Tavernier’s versatility but his ability to lead by example on the pitch.
“He’s coaching a lot of these young lads through it. Talking, communicating, this is what they need these young players in these big games and in these big moments.”
“He has played well tonight Tavernier,” adds Rangers icon Ally McCoist. “Going into that position he is not accustomed too, I think he’s had a pretty good game.”
Philippe Clement takes pride in valiant Europa League defeat
Forcing square pegs into round holes has been a theme of Rangers’ 2025, so far. Not that Clement has had much of a choice, of course.
During Tavernier’s recent absence, Ridvan Yilmaz was forced to play on the right-hand side during a gruelling post-Christmas schedule. Sterling played at centre-half briefly before he too was struck down by the injury curse.
“I saw everybody disappointed that we lost after playing that kind of game,” Clement said post-match, delighted by the contributions of his squad but frustrated by the nature of the defeat. “I’m also [disappointed], clearly, because you want to win. You want to take the points that you deserve also.
“But on the other side, I’m also very proud of what the team did today, about sticking to the plan, following the tactics all the way, also with really young players coming on the pitch. We had to make two changes in half-time, putting players in positions that they normally don’t play.
“There were so many circumstances, but the team stayed compact, they stayed well-organised and they stayed brave on the ball because we created enough chances.”
