Alex Rae has dismissed thoughts that the shape of the Rangers team was the major issue in the Gers' 2-0 loss at Ibrox against Celtic on Sunday afternoon. 

Steven Gerrard raised eyebrows by playing Joe Aribo ahead of a natural winger, with Sheyi Ojo and Jordan Jones on the bench, while Alfredo Morelos was overlooked in favour of Jermain Defoe.

 



Rangers were second best at Ibrox and Celtic turned on the style to inflict a damaging defeat on their rivals ahead of the international break.

Gerrard has come in for big criticism following the loss, with a focus for some being the formation and shape the Rangers boss employed.

 

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For former Rangers midfielder Rae though, it is a question of the personnel Gerrard picked, rather than the shape.


 


"This is a shape that Steven Gerrard adopted last year in terms of the 4-3-2-1, because it was [Scott] Arfield and [Ryan] Kent and then they supported Defoe, when won at Ibrox last year, so it's nothing to do with the shape", Rae said on Radio Clyde post match.

"The point is that if you have a player, Aribo couldn't do it and I'm not sure that Defoe was at his game because of the actual quality he was going up against.

 

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"I've already said [playing that shape] was a mistake, but if you put Ojo or Jones in there instead of Aribo – it's not the shape, it's the personnel", he added.

Celtic have opened up a three-point lead over Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership table with the win and Gerrard's side will look to get back on track after the international break when Livingston are the visitors to Ibrox.