Philippe Clement served up 'strange' Rangers verdict as former Celtic star voices doubts over St Mirren surprise

Dujon Sterling started on the wing for Rangers today and it raised more than a few eyebrows in the post-match analysis.

Charlie Mulgrew reckons it was 'strange' by Philippe Clement to start Dujon Sterling out wide against St Mirren.

But fellow pundit Neil McCann stopped short of jumping on that bandwagon - and reckons the end result shows it might just have been a stroke of genius. Rangers won 1-0 in Paisley thanks to another eye-catching goal from Cyriel Dessers but it was Sterling, who started on the left of the front three, who caught much of the attention. a right-back by trade, he's been Mr Versatile for Clement and recently impressed in a run of games in central midfield, but looked an awkward fit on the wing against St Mirren.

He didn't have the deftness of touch of Rabbi Matondo or Scott Wright and struggled with one-on-ones when he had the ball. And former Celtic defender Mulgrew reckons playing him there was an odd decision by Clement.

He said on Sportscene: "It was a strange decision. When you play with wingers, they have to stay high and wide. Dujon Sterling isn't a natural winger, he doesn't hug the touchline. We saw Cantwell taken off in the European game for McCausland because he kept drifting inside, and I felt like Sterling kept doing that today.

"The position is vital especially when you're playing against a back five. Your forwards need to pin them in and I don't think Rangers did that at all."

McCann agreed with much of that assessment and reckons Rangers were lacking in penetration with Sterling out wide. However he believes there might have been some method to Clement's madness - with the SMiSA Stadium surface informing his decision to field a 'robust' starting XI.

He said: "Sterling likes the game in front of him. When he's been utilised in the middle of the pitch, going up and getting on top of the game, he was very good. But it's so alien to the boy (playing on the wing). In wide areas, we're expecting a Matondo or Kent to go at players. But when it comes into your feet...invention was missing a bit for Rangers today.

"They got the joy from a long ball over the top for Dessers. But we've got to go to this man in the shot (Clement) and say 'is that really clever management?' Has he looked at the surface and chosen a robust side, and then got a big three points?"

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