STEVEN GERRARD believes Nathan Patterson has the potential to succeed captain James Tavernier as the first-choice right-back at Ibrox.

The 19-year-old was handed his first start in the Europa League as Rangers beat Lech Poznan on Thursday night.

Patterson performed admirably on the night and helped Gerrard's side to a 2-0 victory that secured top spot in Group D.

Gerrard said: "I think that works both ways. He's lucky to have Tav here because he's got no-one better to learn off and be a sponge around.

“When you're at Nathan's age, it's about the daily routine of training. He's up against the likes of Ryan Kent, Brandon Barker and Jordan Jones on a daily basis, who have got speed and quality.

“He's up against the Aribos and Hagis, so his development is really important. He's got a bright future.

“Tav is at an age where at some point, Nathan will take over that position but it's great to have two really good right-backs to pick from.

“I thought his performance was strong considering it was his full debut at this level."