Steven Gerrard delighted by Rangers’ Old Firm victory

Along with self-isolating Gerrard, goalkeepers Allan McGregor and Jon McLaughlin, right-backs James Tavernier and Nathan Patterson, left-back Calvin Bassey and attacking midfielder Scott Wright were unavailable.

“We’ve done it for the guys who are not here,” said McAllister. “They were desperate to be here, staff and players. So it’s a good day for the club.

“He (Gerrard) is very, very happy. We spoke to him prior to the game and we had some feedback from the guys he was in contact with and afterwards we spoke to him as well. He’s delighted.”

McAllister hailed the collective spirit of a Rangers team in which Robby McCrorie, making his league debut in goal, and makeshift right-back Leon Balogun both excelled.

“Bearing in mind we’ve had players play through injury, it’s been difficult to make selections because we’ve been waiting on some protocols and rules on Covid, close contacts,” he added.

“So it’s been an immense effort from everyone at the club. Leon signed here as a centre-back but he’s very much in our thoughts as a third-choice right back.

“And I thought today he showed, defensively, that he’s very, very capable of playing there against a difficult opponent.”