Ross McCrorie made his senior debut for Rangers last night as Pedro Caixinha’s men beat Partick Thistle in the League Cup 3-1 after extra time.
McCrorie didn’t start but came on in the 76th minute and played through until the end of extra time, giving him a big run-out.
The 19-year-old centre-back replaced veteran star Bruno Alves with his side leading 1-0.
Partick substitute Kris Doolan equalised in the last minute to take the tie into extra time, which is something Caixinha would have wanted to avoid with the huge Old Firm derby on Saturday.
However, Rangers avoided a penalty shootout when Daniel Candeias and Eduardo Herrera won the tie for the Gers.
Talking after the game, Caixinha had high praise for McCrorie, saying he could be one of the “best centre-halves in history” for Rangers and Scotland.
Talking on STV after the game, Caixinha said: “Ross McCrorie is going to be one of the best centre-halves in history, not just for this club but for this country.
“You just need to see what he did. He was brilliant.
“It’s not about age or names. It’s about getting the chance to prove it.
“I have no concerns about him. I never had and never will have. If he needs to play on Saturday, he will play.”
OPINION
Rangers fans will be buzzing about McCrorie after his debut and his manager’s praise. It’s a huge claim from Caixinha and hopefully it will have the desired effect. Most managers are keen not to heap too much pressure on young players, but Caixinha is happy to put McCrorie in the limelight and take the acclaim for his mature display. Caixinha even hinted that McCrorie could play in the Old Firm derby on Saturday, which must be a hugely exciting prospect for the youngster. He won’t make the starting XI – without something dramatic happening between now and Saturday lunchtime – but he might be rewarded with a few minutes on the pitch with an atmopshere that’s likely to be electric at Ibrox. If Rangers can somehow get a couple of goals up by the end, it could be the perfect opportunity to unleash McCrorie in front of the Rangers fans again.