5 things on Steven Gerrard’s to-do list after Rangers win title

Rangers are celebrating being crowned kings of Scotland for the 55th time.

Steven Gerrard’s side have wrapped up the title with six games to spare but there is still plenty to achieve this season and next for the Ibrox men.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what is next on Gerrard’s to-do list.

Fulfil Europa League ambitions

Gerrard has already set his side the target of reaching the quarter-finals and having clinched championship glory, they can now concentrate their focus on that task. Last month’s roller-coaster 9-5 aggregate triumph over Royal Antwerp means they have now matched last year’s run to the last 16. The Light Blues now head to the Czech Republic on Thursday to face Slavia Prague and having gone unbeaten through 11 games against continental opposition this year they will fancy their chances of progressing again.

Complete an Invincible league season

No-one has been able to lay a glove on Rangers in the Premiership this season. Of their 32 games so far, Gers have chalked up 28 wins and four draws. That remarkable record is built on an astounding defensive display that has seen them concede just nine league goals all season – and only two at Ibrox. Gerrard’s men now have six games left to play and will walk out at the home of bitter rivals Celtic on March 21 knowing they have already ended their reign of dominance.

Double up with Scottish Cup glory

St Mirren ruined Gers hopes in the Betfred Cup as they dished out the Light Blues’ only defeat this term but Rangers will hope to get their hands on the Scottish Cup for the first time since 2009 after the Scottish Football Association confirmed the competition will take place this term. The Ibrox men host League One minnows Cove Rangers in the third round on April 3, with three further rounds scheduled before the Hampden final on May 22.

Finalise next season’s squad

Gers fast-tracked summer moves for Aberdeen winger Scott Wright and Bournemouth defender Jack Simpson ahead of the January transfer deadline, while Cherries midfielder Nnamdi Ofoborh is also making the move north at the end of the season. But Gerrard still has to decide what is happening with his out-of-contract stars. Veterans Allan McGregor and Steven Davis have demonstrated clearly they are still key men but Jermain Defoe’s game time has got less and less as the season has gone on. Leon Balogun is understood to have an option of another season with the club but Greg Stewart is likely to move on with on-loan Amiens midfielder Bongani Zungu, who did his chances of sealing a permanent move no favours with his recent Covid breach.

Prepare for next year’s Champions League assault

Rangers will make their return to Europe’s premier competition next season at the third qualifying round – unless they claim a group-stage pass by marching all the way to Europa League glory in Gdansk this term. Celtic have shown in recent season that negotiating the early hurdles is not guaranteed but Rangers have built up an impressive track record under Gerrard in Europe, losing just five of 43 matches so far. Rangers will be seeded for their first tie but are unlikely to have that luxury in the play-off round. The Gers will be guaranteed group-stage football of some sort, with a place in the new UEFA Europa Conference League a possible route of last resort.