James Tavernier has no doubts about Rangers’ mentality

Rangers captain James Tavernier claimed there were no question marks over his team’s mentality following their latest slip-up in the cinch Premiership title race.

The champions let slip a two-goal lead at home to Motherwell as the Steelmen fought back to claim a point which looked highly unlikely at half-time.

Tavernier admitted it was a “missed opportunity” after his side failed to take advantage of Celtic’s earlier draw with Hibernian and ended the weekend as they had begun, trailing their rivals by three points.

Rangers have picked up less points than both Livingston and St Mirren since the winter break after taking 13 from eight matches, and are in danger of experiencing the same post-New Year collapse that undermined their title challenges in 2019 and 2020.

Tavernier admitted two years ago at this stage of the season that Rangers struggled when teams got in their faces and put pressure on them, before Steven Gerrard’s team produced an invincible league campaign behind closed doors.

However, Tavernier felt their latest setback, and the previous weekend’s draw with Dundee United, was a result of them failing to make the most of their chances and being as clinical as Motherwell.

“I don’t think you can question the mentality of the side,” the right-back said. “If you look at the two games against Dortmund there is no questioning the mentality of the side.

“There is only three points in it. We are right there.

“Obviously, we are disappointed in some of the games dropping points but performances have been good and we just need to improve on small areas and results will come.

“If you look back at the Dundee United game we were really strong. It was conceding a set-piece and not putting the ball in the back of the net.

“It