THE comments that Steven Gerrard made about Umar Sadiq this week haven’t got unnoticed by the supporters and I hope that the player himself takes them on board.

The manager must have seen something in him to sign him from Roma and everyone that has spoken about him said he would either be a nightmare or brilliant.

So far, we haven’t seen anything brilliant from him and the fact that he wasn’t in the squad against Ayr tells you just where he is in terms of his place in Steven’s plans. Hopefully this is the kick up the backside that he needs.

He has to be looking at the semi-final against Aberdeen, with Kyle Lafferty cup-tied and Alfredo Morelos suspended, as the day he proves himself as a Rangers striker.

He is the only recognised first team striker available for that game and it would be a huge slap in the face for him if he isn’t considered as the man to lead the line and Rangers go with someone other than a natural centre forward through the middle.

He has to show the manager in training every day and in all the Reserve games that he plays that he is good enough to start at Hampden next month. He has to work hard and get himself in that team.

Losing Morelos to suspension was a real blow for Rangers and it leaves Steven with a problem to solve between now at the Aberdeen game.

It is OK saying you could play someone like Ryan Kent through the middle and let him use his pace but it is very difficult when you are up against two centre-halves, especially when you are not an out and out centre forward.