GARY MCALLISTER insists Rangers won’t even consider selling striker Alfredo Morelos during the January transfer window.
The Colombian has been in superb form for Steven Gerrard’s side this term and leads the Ibrox scoring charts after an impressive first half of the campaign.
Morelos endured a frustrating evening at Easter Road in midweek as he spurned a series of chances and Rangers were held to a goalless draw by Hibernian.
But assistant manager McAllister is confident the 22-year-old will show no ill-effects as he looks to finish the year on a high note in the matches with St Johnstone, Hibs and Celtic in the coming days.
McAllister said: “He’s up. Looking at his performance the other night I thought he was excellent.
“He just needed a goal. When you talk about a player leading the line, there were moments there when he was very impressive.
“He only missed a goal. It’s maybe a consequence of him being a bit stop start in terms of being suspended, but we don’t have any fears about him, he’ll score goals.
“I’m not going to throw a name in [that he reminds me of]. There is a particular one, but you would probably start laughing.
“No, he reminds me of quite a few South American strikers. He is very powerful and quick and needs very little back-lift on his execution.
“Some of the South American players who have been world greats are tough. Alfredo is tough. I’m a fan.
“How many goals has he got this season? 17? He is doing alright.
“I see Alfredo like that (streaky), as much as he has scored consistently for us.
“If we can continue as we are playing and keep knocking at the door, I can feel goals coming.
“There probably will be [interest in him]. But if we’re sat where we are in the table when we come to the end of the month, it can’t be a consideration at all.”
The two points dropped in Leith on Wednesday night cost Rangers top spot in the Premiership standings as they fell behind Old Firm rivals Celtic once again.
The Light Blues have a hat-trick of huge fixtures before the winter break as they attempt to finish the first half of the season in pole position in the title race.
But McAllister knows that is easier said than done as a host of teams battle it out at the sharp end of the standings.
He said: “I think it would be a massive boost [to be top going into the break]. But it’s not just the Old Firm, there is a more competitive look to the league as a whole.
“There are probably four or five teams who think they can affect the top of the table. I think that is a good thing.
“As far as the three remaining games go, we are only looking at St Johnstone. I know it’s a bit of a cliché but we have to treat each one in isolation then move on. They are as important as each other.
“The league being so tight across so many teams has probably surprised me. But then you look at the managers who are around the top four at the moment.
“They know the league and know how to set up a team. Through them, you can see how it is so competitive.”
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