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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Liam Bryce

Brian Laudrup insists there's a Rangers 'victim' Giovanni van Bronckhorst will need to hunt down Celtic

Brian Laudrup reckons Rangers' weekend match winner Kemar Roofe has become a victim of Giovanni van Bronckhorst's tactics.

The Jamaican international forward has been a largely peripheral figure in recent weeks but climbed off the bench to turn in a crucial winner against Aberdeen on Saturday.

Van Bronckhorst has switched to a system incorporating more traditional wingers in lieu of Steven Gerrard's "twin number 10s" approach and the form of Alfredo Morelos has kept the striker's role under lock and key.

But Ibrox legend Laudrup reckons the manager will need Roofe - and the rest of his squad - as Rangers try to hunt down Celtic in the title race.

He wrote in the Daily Mail: "We know their domestic form hasn't been great. But Kemar Roofe's goal to defeat Aberdeen was hugely significant. In more than one sense.

"Last week, I questioned whether Van Bronckhorst trusted his whole squad. That debate continued after no substitutes were made in the midweek win at St Johnstone.

"With big questions about the impact of the January signings, it's all the more important that longer-standing members of the squad step forward to contribute.

"Roofe did that when he came off the bench on Saturday.

"You could argue he has been a bit of a victim of the change of shape under Van Bronckhorst. Roofe's not a winger.

"With only one number 10 being used and Alfredo Morelos in such good form as the central striker, it's not been obvious to see where he fits in at times. Plus, he's had injury issues.

"But Roofe remains a matchwinner. Saturday showed that. And with Rangers still pursuing achievements at home and in Europe, Van Bronckhorst needs as many of those as he can get."

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