Insistent Charlie Nicholas is adamant Alfredo Morelos' Rangers career must come to an end after Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Celtic.
The Colombian was left miffed by his substitution in the 77th minute after pulling back a consolation but the former Parkhead star has urged the Michael Beale to call time on the striker with months remaining on his Ibrox deal. Morelos found the net but Nicholas was left seriously unimpressed with Rangers' talisman during the Viaplay Cup Final. And he reckons the boundless energy of Celtic key pair Daizen Maeda and Kyogo showed Morelos' limitations.
Nicholas has told Beale and former boss Steven Gerrard the faith in the club's record European goalscorer should be ended or it could end up choking the Englishman. Speaking in his Express column, he said: "The League Cup must surely be Alfredo Morelos's final stand. I don't know why Michael Beale has stood by him for so long. Steven Gerrard did the same thing. Time after time and red card after red card.
"Why do they keep playing Morelos? I know he scored at Hampden but the League Cup final defeat exposed his limitations. Look at the difference between the Celtic strikers and Morelos. Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi are both fit, sharp and ready to run themselves into the ground. Morelos, for me, is playing at 75 per cent capacity because he is simply not fit.
"Morelos hardly troubled Celtic's back two the whole game because he couldn't run in behind them. He just wants to scrap and fight because he struggles to run away from players. When you are playing at 25 per cent below your capacity then it is seriously damaging, especially in an Old Firm game.
"If Morelos was to get 90 per cent then he would be up there like he was when Rangers were doing well in the Europa League. He hasn't hit those heights for some time. Beale, inexplicably, has kept playing him. Goals in cup finals mean nothing unless you win them. Yes, he got on the scoresheet, but other than that his contribution was zero.
"Morelos just doesn't bring a danger against Celtic - it's not as if he helps his side with his hold-up play or even takes the pressure off his team-mates. Beale must see how short Morelos is leaving Rangers and that can be the difference in the big games.
"If he continues to stick by the Colombian then it could choke the Rangers manager. Antonio Colak might not be better than Morelos but he is certainly fitter than him. Playing Morelos from the start in the cup final while leaving Nicolas Raskin on the bench was a strange decision."
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