JAMES TAVERNIER insists there were positives to take for Rangers despite their Europa League defeat to Lyon.

The champions got their Group A campaign off to a disappointing start at Ibrox on Thursday night.

A Karl Toko Ekambi strike and unfortunate own goal from Tavernier sealed their fate on matchday one.

But the skipper won't read too much into the defeat as Steven Gerrard's side set their sights on a place in the knockout rounds.

Tavernier said: "The gaffer has obviously highlighted the two moments in the game where we can do better and prevent the goals going in.

"But I thought the boys, throughout the game in parts of the game, we played well. We got into good areas but we have got to be more clinical in the final third.

"We are playing against a top team and they finished the two moments that they got in the game. We have just got to finish our moments.

"We will always go toe-to-toe with any team that we play. I thought the boys were really up for the game and we started the game well.

"But it is just two moments in the game that gave us an uphill fight and put us behind. I think we can take positives from this game and move forward into the group and the season.

"You could say maybe in the final third [we were lacking belief]. That is just more creativity and being a bit braver in the final third.

"We can still take positives from this game and learn from this game and make sure that we put things right for the rest of the season."