Steven Gerrard insists Rangers rule-breakers ARE being treated equally as he hits back at critics

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has hit back at Covid critics who have suggested the club treated their rule-breakers differently.

Back in November George Edmundson and Jordan Jones were cut from the first-team squad for attending a west end party before being sent on loan to Derby County and Sunderland respectively.

And some detractors insist that approach jars compared to the treatment of the latest five stars who were found by police at a bash last month.

Young full-backs Nathan Patterson and Calvin Bassey, plus midfielder Bongani Zungu, were re-introduced to the Europa League squad a week later with the former even coming on as a half-time substitute against Royal Antwerp and scoring within 16 seconds.

That has prompted criticism but Gerrard insists everyone is being treated equally - hinting that Jones and Edmundson's Ibrox careers aren't yet over in the process as it was THEIR call to go out on loan.

He said: “The boys are back within the group and it’s important to say they are not being treated any differently to the previous two.

“Contrary to what I’ve read in certain reports, they have been dealt with exactly the same way in terms of fines.

“They all had to self-isolate for the correct amount of time under the government guidelines. They were suspended by the club for the same amount of time and fined the exact same amount in terms of weeks’ wages.

“I told them all the same in terms of what I thought, and that they had a second chance to play for Rangers again.

“I think the only difference is the two previous lads were desperate to play and wanted to go out on loan. That was their decision as much as mine. But it’s important for me to stress no one is being treated differently from anyone else. That’s important for me to get that across.”