Filling Allan McGregor’s gloves was always going to be a tall order for Jack Butland. But James Tavernier reckons you’ve got to hand it to the former England keeper after he made a fabulous first fist of it in Switzerland.
Recently-retired hero McGregor built his heroic Rangers reputation on big European nights, throwing out arms to defy dumbstruck strikers across the continent.
From Werder Bremen to the surge to Seville the year before he finally called time on his long, proud career, Greegsy had a knack of pulling off crucial saves at vital moments.
And on first evidence, it looks like Butland might be capable of similarly key interventions. To be fair to the ex-Birmingham, Stoke and Crystal Palace shot-stopper, both he and the man he’s replaced as No.1 could have been standing between the sticks when Dereck Kutesa swept Servette in front during Tuesday night’s Champions League qualifier in Geneva and they wouldn’t have reached his stunning strike.