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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Gabriel McKay

Joe Aribo earns Rangers rave review from Steven Gerrard as he hails 'best ever' left-back performance

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard was lost for words trying to describe Joe Aribo as he admitted his left-back guest slot was the BEST of his reign.

The champions maintained their unbeaten record with a 3-0 win over Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

Goals from James Tavernier, Ryan Kent and Ianis Hagi put Rangers on the brink of a 100-point invincible season.

But it was the performance of Aribo, playing in an unfamiliar left-back role thanks to Borna Barisic's absence, who really impressed his manager.

Gerrard told Rangers TV: "What can I say about Joe Aribo?

(PA)

"I'll tell you what I'll say about him: good players can play football, top players can play anywhere.

"A manager can ask a player to do a role and good players can do some and good players can't do some - but Joe Aribo is a top player.

"Whatever I ask him to do he goes out and gives it his best shot.

"He's my man of the match tonight just because, if you think about it, he's a number 10.

"And he's just been so comfortable at left-back, cruised it and breezed it.

"That left-back performance is as good as we've seen in my three years of being here.

"So well done to him for parking his ego and doing a job for his team-mates."

Rangers need just a point to crack the 100 barrier, but their manager wants the intensity kept right up until the end of the season.

Gerrard explained: "I don't think the club's ever got over 100 points, 98 is the best I'm told.

"So that's a real incentive for us to go and finish strong and take maximum points.

"If we can't do that we'll try and get 100 but I want 102 and I want another performance that matches tonight because if we do (get that) it will be good enough."

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