Ibrox View: Clement decision justified after what Rangers man did v Hearts

Recalled skipper James Tavernier repaid Philippe Clement’s faith by setting up the opening goal for Rangers against Hearts on Sunday.

Brought back into the starting XI by Clement after being dropped to the bench at Olympiacos three days prior, Tavernier set up Cyriel Dessers’ opener eight minutes in but was denied the goalscoring credit.

Tavernier fired Nedim Bajrami’s cross-field pass back towards goal and bound for the bottom corner, only for it to ricochet off Dessers and into the net, denying Tavernier his first league goal of the season.

Speaking on commentary for BBC Sportscene (10 November, 5:08pm), Steven Thompson asked after the goal: “Dessers has been given it?”

Ryan McGowan replied: “Typical strikers, honestly!”

James Tavernier proves he can still be a leader for Rangers

Not only was Tavernier named on the bench in Piraeus, with Dujon Sterling given a start in his preferred right-back position, the 33-year-old was also not the first port of call once Clement rang the changes.

Instead, Feyenoord loanee Neraysho Kasanwirjo replaced Sterling on the right flank midway through the second period, with Tavernier only brought on in the final throes of the Gers’ 1-1 Europa League draw.

That pattern of substitutions potentially reflected a changing of the guard when it came to Tavernier’s position in the side, with Jack Butland wearing the armband in the veteran’s place.

However, with Tavernier straight back into the starting XI – and back into the goalscoring, or at least assisting, action – his first-half display against Hearts shows that there’s life in the old defender yet.

It remains to be seen how Clement manages Tavernier’s minutes in the second half with the Light Blues leading 1-0, but the veteran has more than justified the Belgian’s decision to start him at Ibrox.

In other Rangers news, Bears fans won’t be happy with recent comments from goalscorer Dessers about his form this season.

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