'Why not?' - Derek Johnstone delivers verdict on Rangers Europa League draw, answers question on how far they can go

Steven Gerrard. (Photo by PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)Steven Gerrard. (Photo by PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)
Steven Gerrard. (Photo by PressFocus/MB Media/Getty Images)
Derek Johnstone has claimed that Rangers’ current winning mentality could carry them a long way in this season’s Europa League.

The Gers will face Royal Antwerp in the last 32 after learning their fate in Monday afternoon’s knockout draw.

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The Belgian outfit finished second in their group behind Tottenham Hotspur, but did get one over on the Premier League leaders with a 1-0 victory back in October.

Spurs exacted revenge with a 2-0 win in the reverse fixture, but Johnstone believes that Ivan Leko’s men can still cause problems for the Glaswegian giants.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, he said: “Anybody who has got to this stage is a decent side.

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"They’ve obviously finished second in their group. Antwerp finished second in the group to Spurs, and Spurs only beat them 2-0 in London.

"They will be a decent side, but the way Rangers are playing and the confidence they have, especially in the Europa League, I think the manager will be reasonably pleased with that [draw].”

When asked if Rangers could take a “good run” at the Europa League this year, the former Ibrox striker said: “It all depends on the players.

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"If the players can maintain the form that they’re in at this moment in time, then why not?

"But things can change very, very quickly in this game, as Liverpool realised a few weeks ago when they went to Aston Villa and lost seven goals. That’s how football is.

"But I think there’s a winning mentality about Rangers just now, and the players are buying into that, which is great.

"The longer that goes on, who knows how long that can go?”

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