Michael Stewart makes Lawrence Shankland Rangers link as he slaughters Ibrox duo

Michael Stewart (Image: SNS)

Michael Stewart is adamant that Lawrence Shankland’s goal for Hearts against Rangers wouldn’t have hit the net had it fallen to his Ibrox counterparts.

The BBC pundit slammed former manager Michael Beale for his recruitment in the summer, spending £8m on failing strikers Cyriel Dessers and Sam Lammers from Serie A.

The Ibrox duo have struggled desperately since arriving in Scotland, failing to have a significant impact with both substituted in the 2-1 win over Hearts.

Rangers were linked with Shankland in the summer and Stewart reckons he might still be in a job if he had gone for the Scotland striker.

At the half way point of the game, he told the BBC: “If that is up the other end Rangers are not scoring. Dessers is not scoring that goal, plain and simple. Shankland is the only striker on the park who scores that goal. It’s great for Hearts that Shankland is the captain and the number nine but there was a wee bit of chat in the summer that Rangers were interested and it never really came to anything.

“It would appear that Michael Beale didn’t fancy him and he’s ultimately paid the price with his job in large part down to very, very poor recruitment. In that first half, it’s just been a continuation of what it’s looked like all season with Dessers and Lammers in particular offering very little.”