Vaclav Cerny silences social media cynics in Rangers redemption as late shift fires Celtic and Aberdeen reminder

Vaclav Cerny started the weekend by deleting his Instagram account after being subjected to a wave of stinging online flak.

But by the end it was an altogether brighter picture for the Rangers ace after his brilliant brace reeled in the points against stuffy St Johnstone. The on-loan Wolfsburg winger hasn’t been in the best frame of mind lately. Having got off to a bright start in Glasgow, he’s found things tougher the past month with a string of underwhelming performances leading him to become the focus of the Ibrox boo boys.

He had a run-in with punters in the enclosure when he told them where to go after one outburst too many during last week’s win over Hibs. And it all became too much after Thursday’s Europa League lesson from Lyon, when his dreadful sitter in front of an open goal sparked another round of abuse. The 26-year-old Czech international responded by scrubbing his account.

But it will be safe for him to step back into social media after his superb double kept Gers within five points of Premiership co-leaders Celtic and Aberdeen. Road closures due to the Great Scottish Run meant a late shift for Philippe Clement ’s team, with the game kicking off at 8pm.

But there was an early finish for Ianis Hagi as his long-awaited return to the Rangers first team lasted just 35 minutes before he was sent-off for a crude challenge on Benjamin Kimpioka. It’s taken months for the Romanian to sort out the contract issue that saw him frozen out. But he’ll have to take another seat on the sidelines for the next couple of games after getting his marching orders with 10 minutes left.

Work permit red tape meant new Saints boss Simo Valakari was also reduced to a watching brief from the directors box. The former Motherwell