Rangers give UEFA one less headache and now can benefit from what Clement loathes to admit – big match verdict

Well, at least UEFA have one less thing to worry about now.

And while Philippe Clement will be loathe to admit it, perhaps it’s best for Rangers’ Premiership title ambitions that they no longer have to concern themselves with the Europa League either after Rafa Silva’s 67th-minute goal sent them spinning out. While the 2022 finalists and their thousands of fans would have loved nothing more than to give European football’s governing body – and likely the Irish gardai too – a huge logistical headache by marching to this year’s competition climax in Dublin, the fact remains this Ibrox line-up have more pressing issues.

Like an injury list that left gaffer Clement with no choice but to start a striker in Cyriel Dessers who has now gone five games without a goal. The fact that perennial fringe-man Scott Wright was parachuted in to start the most-challenging night of the Light Blues’ season so far was another indication of the taxing toll that competing on four fronts has had on the Premiership leaders. A day that started with Jack Butland disappointed at being left out the England squad, ended with an extra dollop of despair as Rafa Silva stayed onside by millimetres to fire past the Ibrox No.1.

Rangers simply wouldn’t have made it this far without Butland’s brilliance in goal. But even he could not prolong a remarkable run on a tense, tight, edgy night when tiredness was starting to show in the home ranks. It was a soggy night as Ibrox was drenched by a relentless downpour. Right enough, when it comes to Clement’s injury woes, it never rains but it pours for the Belgian too.

Dujon Sterling was ruled out with the hamstring strain he picked up at Easter Road, while Ross McCausland – who also limped off after replacing the