Giovanni van Bronckhorst insists Aaron Ramsey will be key for Rangers; the on-loan Juventus midfielder was left on the bench against Braga in the Europa League; watch St Mirren vs Rangers on Sunday, live on Sky Sports Football; kick-off midday
Friday 8 April 2022 14:33, UK
Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst insists Aaron Ramsey has a key role to play until the end of the season as he rues too many needless dropped points in the Scottish Premiership title race.
The on-loan Juventus midfielder was left on the bench for Thursday night's Europa League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Braga after scoring Rangers' opener in their 2-1 Old Firm reverse to Celtic.
Van Bronckhorst is adamant his no-show in Portugal does not mean the Wales international will not play a part between now and the end of the season.
"He's had a difficult period. He's playing more games lately for us and also for Wales and I'm really happy that Aaron is back and available," the Dutchman told Sky Sports News.
"We know his qualities, we have a lot of midfield players available now and it is of course a busy period. Of course the qualities of Aaron we can use."
"You see what's needed for games and you also have to do your game management a little bit ahead. That's what we're doing right now so Aaron will, for sure, get his game time."
The attention switches back to domestic matters on Sunday with a game away to St Mirren, live on Sky Sports.
If Celtic beat St Johnstone on Saturday, the Ibrox side will go into the game in Paisley nine points behind in the Scottish Premiership title race.
The manager knows there can be no more slip-ups if they are to have a chance of retaining the trophy.
"We need to be [perfect] now we switch back to the domestic league," he said.
"We have to keep the pressure on, of course the result last week didn't help us in achieving that but we have to keep going. Also there are games coming up, as I said in April, when you feel the pressure you are playing for major prizes but still in the end you don't have anything yet so we have to keep going.
"Of course your games against your direct opponent for the title are always big games, but all the other games you have to win the three points again as well and I think in most of the games we lost points, I think it was unnecessary.
"We dropped too many points before and the direct confrontations with Celtic the last two we lost as well. That's a lot of points we haven't won."
