Steven Gerrard hailed Nathan Patterson as the in-form right-back in Scotland following Rangers’ 2-0 Scottish Cup win over Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday.
The 19-year-old again deputised for captain James Tavernier who was on the bench after recovering from a knee injury.
Patterson impressed in the victory which came via an acrobatic Steven Davis strike and a Jonjoe Kenny own goal, setting up a home quarter-final clash against St Johnstone next week.
The Gers defender has been widely backed for a place in Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for this summer’s European Championships.
Gerrard said: “If there is a better right back in the country on current form, I would like to see him.
“If there is a better right back, on current form, that is Scottish, in the league, I would like to see him.
“James is available and we would have used him if needed.
“Nathan got a kick in the last 15 minutes, we were wondering if he’d got a bit of cramp.
“He emptied the tank for us and his performance was outstanding.
“He has become a man in a short space of time. He’s maturing. We are still going to work on his body to make him bigger and stronger.
“There is still loads more to come from Nathan which is really exciting.”
Celtic’s hopes of making it five successive Scottish Cup final wins were ended by their Old Firm rivals who also wrested the Premiership title back from them for the first time in 10 years.
The visitors missed a series of chances including a 79th-minute penalty which Gers keeper Allan McGregor saved from Hoops striker Odsonne Edouard.
Midfielder David Turnbull, who signed from Motherwell in August, believes the game summed up Celtic’s season which will end trophyless for the first time since 2010.
He said: “Yeah 100 per cent. It’s been like that in a good few games this season.
“We created a lot of chances but it’s about taking them at the end of the day.
“Since the start of the season, or since I’ve been in especially, it feels like we’ve created plenty but not taken as many as we should have.”
