STEVEN GERRARD admits Jack Simpson may have to wait for further appearances this term after making his Rangers debut on Sunday.
The defender moved to Ibrox from Bournemouth on deadline day as Rangers clinched a deal to bring him north of the border six months ahead of schedule after initially agreeing a Bosman switch.
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Simpson replaced Filip Helander for the final 23 minutes of the 4-1 victory over Dundee United as Gerrard's side took another step towards clinching the Premiership crown.
And the 24-year-old will have to work for any other game time he receives as Gerrard backs Helander, Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun to finish the job in the title race.
Gerrard said: "We will have to see [if he will be more involved in the remaining weeks] and we have got the luxury of having centre-backs who have performed ever so well over the season.
"We got Jack in early, which was a bonus really and we didn’t expect to get him in so early. There was no rush or panic or we don’t need to be forceful to get him in.
🎥 REACTION: Steven Gerrard spoke to @RangersTV after today's 4-1 victory against Dundee United. pic.twitter.com/4a0L1ZNIhK
— Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) February 21, 2021
"The game presented an opportunity to get him moving. He has been patient and waited for his debut and if we need to use him we will use him. He has to keep fighting for more performances from now until the end of the season and I am sure he will get them.
"It is very difficult to say to players ‘you are not playing today’ when they have been performing ever so well and keeping a lot of clean sheets and we have put ourselves in this position in the league and Europe with other players.
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"I am not saying I prefer those players, but they deserve to play and deserve the shirt and Jack needs to keep pushing and be patient and wait for his moments to come."
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