PEDRO Caixinha last night accepted full responsibility for Rangers’ 2-0 Betfred Cup semi-final loss to Motherwell which has put his future in doubt – and admitted he may have failed to prepare his team properly.

Caixinha was sent to the stand at Hampden along with opposite number Stephen Robinson for complaining about one of referee Steven McLean’s decisions, but the Portuguese coach refused to blame the officials for the defeat.

He said: “I want to congratulate the team that won today’s game. I need to assume all the responsibility for our team because of the way the team presented themselves.

“They were a shade of the team they needed to be. The opponent played better, they played their own game and we allowed them to play their own game.

“We couldn’t play our game, we couldn’t find a way to play it and that is the main reason why the opponent won the game. It’s up to me. I’m the one who needs to lead them in the right direction.

“I told the boys at half-time, there was only one team on the pitch that looks like they are there to win the match. I assume all responsibility and maybe I didn’t prepare them so good in that direction.”

Caixinha added: “I got a little bit angry when I saw Fabio’s nose [centre half Cardoso had to leave the field after a challenge by Ryan Bowman].

“We know the team was going to play aggressively, but you also have to look at the rules.

“The rules don’t allow handballs, they don’t allow elbows. That was all I said.

“But our performance was very poor, our performance was not anywhere near it needed to be. We didn’t get close enough to the opponent and we deserved to lose the match.”

Dave King, the Rangers chairman, was at the game yesterday and Caixinha confirmed that he expects to speak to the major shareholder during his visit.

“We are pleased he is here, but we are not pleased because we wanted to deliver a win for him and for this fanbase,” he said. “Once again, I’m responsible for that.

“I’m not under pressure or under stress. It’s something which is not part of my vocabulary. But of course at this moment, I’m certainly disappointed.”

Meanwhile, Motherwell manager Robinson last night thanked the Fir Park board for refusing to sell Louis Moult – who scored both goals yesterday – in the summer after Aberdeen made a £350,000 bid.

“The money people put in didn’t justify us selling him,” he said. “We spoke to Louis and explained the situation and he’s 100 per cent committed and brings quality.

“I have to praise the board and [Motherwell chief operating officer] Alan Burrows for standing firm. It’s easy as a smaller club to crumble, but we didn’t.

“We knew his value and we got our just rewards today.”

Motherwell will take on Celtic, who stretched their unbeaten domestic run to 60 games with their semi-final win over Hibernian on Saturday, in the final at Hampden on November 26, and Robinson refused to rule out his side lifting their first piece of silverware since their Scottish Cup success in 1991.

“Somebody has got to beat them,” he said. “Why not us? You saw today, the belief gets more and more as the game goes on.

“They know they are fitter and stronger than other teams. They have a togetherness and a real solidarity within the club, not just the starting eleven.

“Throughout the 20 players there are no big time Charlies. So that gets you where you need to go.”

Rangers defender Bruno Alves claimed Motherwell’s tactics were “not football” as he argued the victors were allowed to get away with too much physicality.

Both managers were sent to the stand following a touchline clash after Motherwell striker Ryan Bowman caught Fabio Cardoso with an arm for the second time.

Bowman was booked early on but the second incident went unpunished as the Portuguese defender went off with a bloody nose.

Double goalscorer Louis Moult was also bloodied by Cardoso’s arm and Alves escaped a card of any sort after kicking out at the same player late on.

Steven McLean handed out four yellow cards to Motherwell and two to Rangers and Alves claimed his side were not given enough protection.

The Portugal international said: “I don’t like to speak too much about referees but he cannot allow this kind of behaviour, because this is too much. This is not football. I also like physical contact and to play hard but this was too much.

“The first action in the game was an elbow in the face of Fabio. After this anything can happen. It can happen but he opened Fabio’s mouth. It’s not acceptable.

“I don’t like to find excuses for why we lost but I am really disappointed about this.”

“All the game I’m trying to jump for balls and someone is trying to block me. Sometimes you get tired of this and you start to react. It’s not good for football.”