ANDREW EKEJIUBA
Glasgow Rangers Manager Steven Gerrard has described Super Eagles star performer, Joe Aribo as ‘a top class player’.
Rangers were on course to break the 100-point barrier after thrashing Efe Ambrose’s Livingston 3-0 in their penultimate match of the 2020-2021 campaign.
Goals from James Tavernier, Ryan Kent and Ianis Hagi earned the Light Blues their 31st win of the season.
Gerrard was forced to reshuffle his side after a string of injuries ravaged the squad and one of the changes saw Aribo fill in at left-back.
The Nigeria international did a great job and was involved in the build-up to the third goal scored by the Scottish champions when he slipped the ball for Cedric Itten who fed Ianis Hagi to score in the 83rd minute.
Aribo, who was standing in for Borna Barisic, was singled out for praise by Gerrard after the Nigerian impressed playing in an unfamiliar fullback role, with the former Liverpool captain labeling him a top class player.
Speaking to reporters, Gerrard stated: “What can I say about Joe Aribo?
“I’ll tell you what I’ll say about him: good players can play football, top players can play anywhere on the football pitch and a manager can ask a player to do a role and good players can do some and good players can’t do some but Joe Aribo is a top class player.
“Whatever I ask him to do he goes out and gives it his best shot.
“He’s my man of the match tonight just because, if you think about it, he’s a number 10, and he’s just been so comfortable at left-back, cruised it and breezed it.
“That left-back performance is as good as we’ve seen in my three years that I have been here so well done to him for parking his ego and doing a fantastic job for his teammates.”
This season, Aribo has been deployed in various roles by Gerrard, including central midfield, attacking midfield, right winger and right midfield.