Kris Boyd reckons Rangers are back to their best under Giovanni van Bronckhorst and admits the change of manager looks like it came at the right time. 

Gerrard left suddenly for Aston Villa in mid-November but the club moved quickly to appoint a replacement in the Dutchman and he hasn’t lost a game since. 

The Ibrox men are now through to the next round of the Europa League and have extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to six points. 

And Boyd admits there were problems accumulating in the Gerrard era – ones that he can’t quite work out. 

He told The Sun: “In the weeks leading up to Steven Gerrard’s sudden departure, Rangers didn’t have their troubles to seek. 

“Something wasn’t quite right. I don’t know what it was, and I still can’t put my finger on it. 

“In Gerrard’s last seven league games in charge, Gers managed five wins and two draws. Yet they’d also gone six games without a clean sheet. 

“There were obvious underlying issues, but Gerrard left with his head held high. 

“Sure, people slated the timing of his exit — it still rankles with many fans — but it’s undoubtedly been for the best. Giovanni van Bronckhorst has lifted the place and Rangers are playing like champions once more. 

“Not bad on the back of a mid-season arrival, with his new team demoralised after a lamentable League Cup semi-final loss. 

“In his nine games in charge, Gers have recorded eight wins and a draw. 

“They’ve kept seven clean sheets while increasing their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership. 

“Rangers are also safely through to the knockout stages of the Europa League to play Borussia Dortmund. 

“Domestically, Van Bronckhorst has won all seven league games, scoring 14 goals and conceding just one. 

“You can safely say he’s hit the ground running. Rangers are back to being the team we know they are.”