The midfield move that could save Gerrard millions

We tried to tell you earlier on in the season that the answer to our midfield injury problems was staring us right in the face.

A goal scoring number eight has been top of the list of many Gers fans shopping list for sometime now, the 15 scored by Joe Aribo and Scott Arfield not enough for some apparentl,y but against Livingston we saw a glimpse of what might become a more regular occurrence next season.

Vital Rangers spoke about the quality that Ianis Hagi brings to this Rangers team when it was only a few weeks old, only Steven Davis can match him for his passing range and Ryan Kent for his ability to use either foot with equal accuracy, he put these skills to good use Wednesday evening because with Steven Gerrard missing a raft of players he had to drop into midfield alongside Glen Kamara and Davis.

Hagi was a constant threat throughout the 90 minutes, linking with both full-backs and the forwards, his run from deep led to   him being fouled for the penalty, he also went close with a long range drive and a header that was blocked by a Livi defender.

He did eventually get his goal though after excellent work by Aribo and Cedric Itten saw the latter cut the ball back for Hagi to get a well deserved third for his side, his desire to make up the ground and get into the box showing exactly why he could flourish in a deeper role.

Hagi is great with the ball at his feet, we know this, and when he is playing in midfield he gets the opportunity to receive possession without as much pressure, especially if a team is sitting in and defending, it also allows him to makes runs into the box without being picked up, something he is rarely afforded if he is starting in an advanced position.

I’m not suggesting he plays there all the time but it is definitely an option, with Scott Arfield not getting any younger, it could be that Hagi is given an opportunity to get accustomed to his new role, saving us money in the process.