James Tavernier is Rangers’ captain fantastic

Thursday was as close as Steven Gerrard has come to giving James Tavernier, Rangers’ captain fantastic, a night off. The manager used 19-year-old deputy Nathan Patterson for the first 66 minutes of the 2-0 win over Lech Poznan in the Europa League as his side’s undefeated start to the season reached 26 games at home and abroad. They have kept clean sheets in 20 of them, yet Tavernier has also contributed the statistics of a striker — 16 goals and 11 assists this season in all competitions.

Perhaps the most remarkable statistic regarding Rangers’ right back, though, is how few matches he misses, despite covering the entire wing in what should be a stamina- sapping style. Ally McCoist said on television on Thursday that he