Jack sets sights on Euro success after Rangers down Kilmarnock

Ryan Jack fired Rangers closer to long-awaited domestic success with the winner against Kilmarnock and then turned his attention to Europe.

The Gers midfielder’s 25-yard volley in the 37th minute of the Scottish Premiership clash against Killie at Ibrox on Saturday took the Light Blues one step closer to their first title in 10 years.

Steven Gerrard’s side remain unbeaten in the league and now start preparing for the first leg of their Europa League last-32 tie against Royal Antwerp in Belgium on Thursday, after qualifying as group winners ahead of Benfica, Standard Liege and Lech Poznan.

Jack told Rangers TV: “We are really looking forward to it. We deserve to be getting that tie and be where we are at.

“We have done very well in the competition in the group stage, but we will take it as it comes.

“We are going to go in on Thursday, give it our all and hopefully it’s enough to get us through and into the next round.”

Gerrard was pleased to see Rangers return to winning ways after dropping two points at Hamilton last week and noted Kilmarnock’s change of direction with new manager Tommy Wright.

He said: “This game changed three or four days ago. We didn’t play against a Kilmarnock side from three or four weeks ago, struggling with confidence, who were getting beat more comfortably, if you like.

“We played against a Kilmarnock who have a clean slate, with a manager to impress and one who is putting his own stamp on it.

“You could see they had worked on set pieces and organisation.

“So we didn’t have five or six of their previous games to work off, we only really had their game against Motherwell in midweek which they approached differently. But I thought we handled everything they threw at us.”

After losing 1-0 to both Motherwell and Rangers in his first two games as manager – which extended Killie’s losing run to seven – Wright is looking for improvement.

He told Kilmarnock TV: “Everybody has tried to make my job easier. I have enjoyed working with the players and getting back on the training pitch.

“We have had a good response from the players in terms of performance at times but it has to get better to pick up results.