STEVEN GERRARD reckons his Rangers rearguard have shown the same mentality as some of his former England team-mates to keep a series of clean sheets.

The Light Blues have conceded just one goal - Odsonne Edouard's controversial equaliser in the Old Firm game at Parkhead - in their last six league and cup outings.

Those five shut-outs are amongst a total of 23 that Rangers have recorded so far this season as Gerrard's side have qualified for the Europa League knockout rounds and moved to within two points of Celtic at the top of the Premiership.

Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic have been solid at the heart of the defence in recent weeks and boss Gerrard said: "I think it is the only foundation and base that you can go and be successful from is to be organised and have a structure about you.

"When you have got good players, more often than not you are going to be a decent team in possession, you are going to be exciting at times and you are going to score goals. But the challenge is can you get those players to buy into a structure, into principles of play out of possession that nobody really likes doing and organise them and really get them to believe that this is what you need to do to keep clean sheets and limit chances on your goal.

"We have certainly improved in that area and the players deserve the majority of the credit for that. They have gone out and changed the mentality over the 20 months and improved individually and collectively and they are enjoying playing together.

"I believe now we have got players, or more players, that are really thriving off a clean sheet and it really feels like a win. The best defenders I played with, they absolutely loved clean sheets and putting blocks in and putting their body on the line.

"They adored that side of the game. Your John Terrys, your (Rio) Ferdinands, your (Jamie) Carraghers, they is what they lived for and that is the mentality that we want at this club."