Ryan Jack’s return vital to Rangers’ title tilt says Steven Gerrard

Ryan Jack is fit again after a three-week absence in which Rangers dropped five league points. Picture: SNS.

Steven Gerrard reckons the return of Ryan Jack tonight is massively significant as Rangers aim to keep the title race alive at the scene where the 2019 challenge began to falter.

The Ibrox men have dropped five points since the winter break with Jack sidelined by a calf injury.

It killed the momentum built by a hugely impressive win at Celtic Park at the end of December and Rangers are now at the stage where any more dropped points before the next derby in March could be fatal.

The return of the former Aberdeen midfielder at Kilmarnock is pivotal, according to Gerrard

The Rangers manager said: “I think it’s been clear from the get-go, from the very first conversation I had with him man-to-man that he was so keen to let us know that he was on the journey.

“The way he lives his life, the way he works in training and the relationship I have with him, it’s very clear that Ryan is someone you want with you.

“Ryan has helped us take the standards where we want them to be because of his own personal drive and how he approaches training and games.

“If you could sum Ryan Jack up in one word, he is a winner – and I want winners around me closely.

“I’ve got every trust in Jacko. It’s not been helpful not having him available for the last three weeks. We always have a better chance of being more consistent with him available.